UFC 92: The Ultimate in Links
by Eugene Schelfaut on Dec 3, 2008 7:49 AM EST
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So, I don't know if this is worth much, but here you go. This format seems to be more intuitive than my previous iteration with only one fight.
As December wears on, this should fill up. And, when you want to know what happened at UFC 92, this is the place for the payouts, performance evaluations, and gate numbers.
Enjoy. If you like the idea, rec it.
Interviews and Other Media:
UFC Video Interview with Griffin; Nov. 25, 2008.
Setanta Audio Interview with Rashad on Title Fight; Nov. 28, 2008.
UFC Video Interview with Rashad on Plans for Finish; Nov. 30, 2008.
Year End Review by Josh Gross; Dec. 1, 2008.
A testament to the star-building power of The Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV, UFC delivers a main event on Dec. 27 featuring two men reared on the reality show -- Season 1 and 2 winners, respectively -- who are now known more for their success in MMA than their time on television.
Video Interview with Forrest by MaximoTV; Dec. 14, 2008.
Video Interview with Rashad by MaximoTV; Dec. 14, 2008.
Interview with Griffin on Evans and Wanderlei by MMA FanHouse; Dec. 15, 2008.
So if Griffin beats Evans and Silva beats Rampage, will we see Griffin vs. Silva some time in 2009?
"It would be great," Griffin said. "If it's for the right money or a belt, I'll fight anyone."
Rashad Evans on Strategy by Eurosport; Dec. 16, 2008.
"But looking at the fight, I think he is going to have problems with me. I am not going to be a fighter who just stands in front of him like Rampage, and I am not going to be anything like the Shogun fight either. Styles makes fights and we will see if he can handle my style."
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Interviews and Other Media:
Video Interview with 'Minotauro' on TUF, Mir by Sherdog.
Fan Video by CriticoMMA.
Video Interview with Mir on Nogueira by MMA Girls.
Interview with Mir on "Shark" Nogueira by MMA Junkie; Sep. 13, 2008.
"You just drown out there," Mir said of facing Nogueira. "It's almost like he's a shark -- and you're beating him up, you're beating him up -- and he's like, 'Yeah, but you're in the water. Eventually you're going to get tired, and I'm going to eat you.'"
UFC Video Interview with Mir; Nov. 20, 2008.
UFC Video Interview with Nogueira; Nov. 22, 2008.
Interview with Mir by CBSSports; Dec. 5, 2008.
I think going jiu-jitsu for jiu-jitsu is going to be quite difficult for me. He's been doing jiu-jitsu longer than I have, and if anybody asked me I would say he's a better jiu-jitsu guy than I am. He's been a black belt longer than I have. For me to say I have an edge there, I don't see where. But that's why I'm not trying to make it a strictly confirmed jiu-jitsu match, I'm going to use elbows and strikes and mix it up and go for more unorthodox submissions -- more footlocks and kneebars and whatnot.
Video Interview with Nogueira by MaximoTV; Dec. 14, 2008.
Video Interview with Mir by MaximoTV; Dec. 14, 2008.
Mir's Roller Coaster Career by Kevin Iole; Dec. 17, 2008.
"I feel like I’ve earned it more," Mir said. "In the fights in the past, I didn’t train well for them. Even in victory, sometimes you’d see me and I wasn’t that elated. I didn’t deserve to win. I caught someone like Tim Sylvia, but you could see my face after the fight and I knew I hadn’t earned it.
"That’s not because of what I did in the ring, but because of what I did outside the ring. Now, for this fight [with Nogueira], whether I win or lose, you’ll see me smile because I know that I’ve earned the right to be there because of all the time and effort I’ve put into it. That’s what I’m proud about."
Heavyweight Breakdown by UFC; Dec. 17, 2008.
Minotauro knows, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he is the better striker of the two. The Brazilian has been training for years with the Cuban national boxing team. He has a very good jab, a nice one-two combination and a pretty decent left hook. He doesn’t possess true one-punch knockout power, but he carries enough rocks in his fists to stop guys with an accumulation of shots over the course of three or four rounds, particularly when gas tanks start running on fumes.
While he likely believes that he is also the better submission artist, Minotauro is a very intelligent fighter who focuses on exploiting an opponent’s weaknesses. Mir’s biggest weakness, aside from his conditioning, is his striking.
Finish Him by Dave Meltzer; Dec. 19, 2008.
Frank Mir, who challenges Nogueira on Dec. 27 at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas for the Ultimate Fighting Championship interim heavyweight title, refers to him as being like a cockroach that can’t be killed.
But at 6-3 and 242 pounds, Nogueira’s got to be the biggest and most dangerous cockroach on the planet, and based on credentials, would have to be considered the second-best heavyweight in the history of the sport.
Whether he’s being powerbombed on his head by 360-pound Bob Sapp, punched out by a prime Mirko Cro Cop, knocked down repeatedly by a giant Tim Sylvia, caught in a kneebar by submission expert Josh Barnett or on the receiving end of Fedor Emelianenko for 20 solid minutes, he’s always survived. And with a 31-4-1 record, with one no contest, he’s usually come out on top.
Ready for Everything by Sherdog; Dec. 21, 2008.
One of the most decorated heavyweights in mixed martial arts history, Nogueira will carry a three-fight winning streak into his showdown with Mir. The 31-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has not competed since February, when he submitted two-time heavyweight titleholder Tim Sylvia with a guillotine choke to capture the interim belt at UFC 81. Outside of Fedor Emelianenko, Nogueira has defeated every man he has faced in his storied, decade-long career, having avenged losses to both Dan Henderson and Josh Barnett. VIDEO.
Interviews and Other Media:
Wanderlei Silva Training Video with Rafael Alejarra; Nov. 12, 2008.
Setanta Interview on Rampage's new Strength; Nov. 24, 2008.
So what’s changed since Rampage lost his title to Forrest Griffin?
Well, the main two things are power and dedication. Training at Michael Bisping’s Wolf's Lair gym, Rampage has found a manager in Anthony McGann who has identified the potential to add new power to Jackson’s armoury.
Video Interview with Rampage; Nov. 27, 2008.
Profile of Rampage Jackson by The Atlantic; Dec 2008.
His parents split when he was young. The most powerful presence in his childhood on the streets of Memphis was a neighborhood drug dealer who first noticed Jackson when he was 8. "He said, ‘Police isn’t gonna be noticing you. They won’t think an 8-year-old has drugs. So hold these drugs and hold these guns. If the police come, watch the drug dealers run, you just play with your ball,’" he remembers hearing from his mentor, whom he describes as a master con artist.
Year End Review by Josh Gross; Dec. 1, 2008.
7 Defining Moments of Wanderlei Silva by UFC; Dec. 1, 2008.
"There are guys who fight only for the money or for the win or to take pictures, and I’m not like that. I like to fight, it’s my job, and I fight with my heart every time."
7 Defining Moments of Quinton Jackson by UFC; Dec. 1, 2008.
For Jackson, it’s a setback, but he knows that a win over Silva at UFC 92 will put him right back in the mix for a shot at the belt again, and that’s motivation enough for the man dubbed ‘Rampage.'
10 December Tussles Worth Watching by Sherdog; Dec. 1, 2008.
Video of Rampage Jackson and Chieck Kongo Fooling Around Before Training; added Dec. 4, 2008.
Jackson on Silva and Acting by MMA Fanhouse; Dec. 5, 2008.
The only thing different is now I'm ready to fight him and the first two times I wasn't. The first time I fought Chuck (Liddell) right before I fought Wanderlei and that wore me out. The second time I had all kinds of personal things going on and most people would have backed out of that fight, but I wouldn't back out of a fight.
To be honest, as soon as acting pays me more than fighting, I'll be an actor.
Bad Blood Breakdown Pt. 1 by UFC; Dec. 14, 2008.
Rampage did not take the loss graciously. Instead, he blamed the result on two factors: (1) what he deemed to be a bogus standup by the referee and (2) the champion having an easier road to the finals. Neither claim was valid...
Silva’s response was a simple one. In an interview with this writer, the Brazilian stated emphatically, "I don’t like Jackson; I will fight him again any time for pleasure."
Bad Blood Breakdown Pt. 2 by UFC; Dec. 15, 2008.
Rampage can take advantage of that tendency with good, hard jabs and one-two combinations. Silva reacts to getting hit with jabs by firing extremely wide, hook-like counters with both hands. Both scoring jabs right down the middle or European-style one-twos (i.e., extending the jab as little more than a distraction and immediately firing the right hand right directly behind the jab) will do more than distract Silva. Either one will force The Axe Murderer to fire his traditional counter flurry from his heels rather than the balls of his feet, which take his hips out of the shots and turn them into little more than arm punches...
As a result, when Rampage covers up with two hands and moves his elbows up and down in front of his face in traditional Muay Thai style, he becomes nothing more than a punching bag because he cannot effectively counter from that position. Moreover, he is extremely susceptible to the Thai clinch from that position because his hands aren’t in the proper position to defend.
Instead of covering up in the face of an onslaught, Rampage should rely on his boxing skills and try to slip punches by moving his head side to side or ducking, all the while keeping his hands in the proper position to fire good, hard counter strikes.
Silva's Anger by Kevin Iole; Dec. 18, 2008.
"There are few very people I don’t like," Silva said. "Very few. Honestly. But of course, I don’t like this guy. I just don’t care for him. He jokes at bad moments. He’s not the kind of guy I like. And so I am very thankful that I have the opportunity to fight him again." [...]
"Every fighter wants to be (the champion) and I am no different," Silva said. "But whether I am champion or not, nothing has made me work harder and train better than the opportunity to fight this guy again. And you know what? I don’t just want to beat him. I want to knock him out. Of course, I always go for the knockout, but with this guy, this is very important to punish him and get that kind of a finish. It’s going to be a great fight."
Hype Interview with Wanderlei by UFC; Dec. 2008.
Hype Video with Jackson by UFC; Dec. 2008.
The Case for Rampage Jackson by Michael Rome; Dec. 21, 2008.
If Jackson can keep Silva in check and turn it into a boxing match, he will tear Silva apart. Jackson's boxing in 2008 is a lot cleaner than Silva's; he has more powerful punches, a much better left hand, far superior head movement, and the ability to put together advanced combinations that Silva doesn't even attempt. If Silva can turn it into a reckless brawl, then the advantage is his, but even then it is still essentially a tossup.
Interviews and Other Media:
Interviews and Other Media:
Video Preview with Kongo.
"I'm disappointed because Lesnar got the title so fast."
"I don't think I'm a star, you know, or a super fighter, I just try to get better, I just try to get this title you know. That is why I am here."
"I don't wanna be an old guy with a lot of injuries, walking like crap. It's not for me."
Interviews and Other Media:
Lister Talks Evolution with USA Today; Dec. 20, 2008.
I tried jiu-jitsu. It seemed to me it was fighting where they spent too much time on the ground, I thought. But I got into it and realized that if I can throw someone down, it doesn't mean I win a figh necessarily. How do you finish a fight? I was intrigued by the idea of finishing someone. It was something I was getting into in sambo; I liked the idea of finishing people with a submission more than a throw or a takedown. It just kind of blended well for me. .
Interviews and Other Media:
According to InsideFighting.com:
Heavyweight Mark Burch (10-2-0) has pulled out of UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008. The reason for the withdrawal has not yet been reported. The heavyweight was set to take on Antoni Hardonk (7-4) at the December 27th event.
(8-1) heavyweight prospect Mike "The Juggernaut" Wessel is signed to replace at UFC 92 on the 27th of December.
Interviews and Other Media:
Interviews and Other Media:
Interviews and Other Media:
Rumored UFC 92: The Ultimate Card:
MAIN CARD
- Champ Forrest Griffin vs. Rashad Evans (for UFC light heavyweight title)
- Champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir (for interim UFC heavyweight title)
- C.B. Dollaway vs.Mike Massenzio
- Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva
- Mustafa Al-Turk vs. Cheick Kongo
PRELIMINARY CARD
- Dean Lister vs. Yushin Okami
- Mike Wessel vs. Antoni Hardonk
- Reese Andy vs. Matt Hamill
- Brad Blackburn vs. Ryo Chonan
- Pat Barry vs. Dan Evensen
92 ~ General Information, Interviews, and Other Media:
Video Preview of UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008.
Fan Predictions and Preview by TheUncutSportsShow on UFC 92.
Fan Predictions and Preview by The Tag Team Supreme; Nov. 23, 2008.
Early Gate Numbers for UFC 92; Dec. 1, 2008.
The 12/27 show is at 5,500 tickets sold and $1.7 million in the same MGM Grand Garden Arena. --The Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
The UFC 92 card should have a high number of comps like UFC 91, which had around 3,500 comp tickets. Without a late push, the UFC should get somewhere in the $2.5 million range, which would pale in comparison to last year’s UFC 79 numbers which did a gate of just over $4.9 million. The New Year’s card is deep with three high profile match-ups, but it seemingly lacks that killer headliner like Lesnar vs Couture that made folks willing to pluck down their money.
Fight Game Early Impressions of UFC 92; Dec. 11, 2008.
Video of UFC 92 Main Card Fighters Dancing Behind L.L. Cool J. at VGA Awards; Dec. 14, 2008.
Video Predictions by Joanne of MMA Girls; Dec. 15, 2008.
Fight Game Analysis of UFC 92; Dec. 18, 2008.
UFC 92: The New Guys by CagePotato; Dec. 18, 2008.
There are so many marquee names on the UFC's year-end card (December 27th, Las Vegas) that the three heavyweights who will be stepping into the Octagon for the first time could get lost in the shuffle. So let's take a quick look at the dudes who will be fighting for a slice of recognition during their UFC debuts at #92
MMA Live 32 Previews UFC 92; Dec. 18, 2008.
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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Now with more yummy goodness.
Did you know we are in high demand, Laura?
by Eugene Schelfaut on Dec 18, 2008 1:28 PM EST reply actions
I do my best to rock.
Did you know we are in high demand, Laura?
by Eugene Schelfaut on Dec 18, 2008 8:48 PM EST up reply actions
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