Sherk Didn't Fight to Win

by Nate Wilcox on May 26, 2008 12:08 PM EDT in MMA News

Having re-watched UFC 84, I have to say that Sean Sherk, despite fighting hard for almost three full rounds against the best 155lb fighter in the world, didn't give it his best.

In the post fight interview, Rogan asked Sherk why he didn't try harder to take B.J. down. Sherk said it was because he felt he was "competitive" against B.J. on his feet. Yet Sherk, a man who's won over 30 MMA fights and only lost 3 times -- to Matt Hughes, GSP and Penn -- knows better than almost anyone else that being "competitive" will not suffice to take the belt away from the champion.

Sherk's best hope to beat B.J. was to get the takedown and dominate the champ on the ground for at least 3 of the 5 rounds. Not a likely outcome, but still his best chance.

Failing to do that meant that Sherk would have to get a TKO from ground and pound. That outcome depended on B.J. getting exhausted and essentially giving up.

Any road to victory depended on Sherk imposing his will on B.J.

He HAD to get the takedown at all costs, no matter how difficult, regardless of the risk of getting KO'd on the way in or getting submitted on the ground. The takedown was Sherk's only route to victory and everyone knew it.

And yet, after B.J. shrugged off a couple of shots in the first, Sherk essentially gave up. Choosing to delude himself into believing that he could peek a boo box with B.J. even as he ate jab after jab and missed with hook after uppercut.

Choosing to dance for 2 rounds was defensible strategically. Keep the fight slow and concede the early rounds to B.J. while avoiding serious damage. But once the critical third round began, Sherk had to attack. Attack at all costs. The alternative to getting an early takedown and dominating B.J. physicially throughout the third round was conceding the fight. B.J. was roundly beating Sherk in the standing game. And the outcome was inevitable -- either B.J. would get a KO or a decision.

Let's compare Sherk to the much more overmatched Joe Stevenson. Stevenson came out and got beat down in the first round against B.J., dropped with the very first punch and from there, fought a game but essentially hopeless war of attrition on the ground. In the second round, Stevenson had a choice, he could fold like 99% of people in that situation or he could dig deep and, having lost the first hand, push all his chips onto the table in a last ditch gamble.

Neither Sherk nor Stevenson really had much of a chance against a fit B.J. Penn at the top of his game. All the same, one fighter chose to go out in a blaze of glory while another fighter, the ex-champ Sherk, chose to be "competitive" and accept the inevitable defeat.

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Sherk definitely didn’t do what he needed to, but…

BJ imposed his will on Sherk, dictated the fight and was clearly underestimated by Sherk.

Damn, those were some nice jabs.

Every time Sherk closed, BJ backed out and struck and I think Sherk was also worried about taking a knee.

This is a perfect example of how psychology can effect the fight. Sherk was taken out of his game by BJ.

I give Sherk credit for trying to hang in there, but this was like a high school football team trying to beat the Patriots. I was going to say Broncos, but then it’s a 50/50 proposition, lol.

"They said you was hung!!"

"And they was RIGHT!"

by BJJDenver on May 26, 2008 12:29 PM EDT reply actions

I had the impression that Sean’s gameplan was to stand up for the first three rounds and then, only after BJ isn’t as fresh, take him to the ground. Taking the fight to the ground in the beginning would have almost certainly been disaster for Sean and he knew it. Every analyst, fan and fighter knows one of Sherk’s best qualities is his cardio. And I think he was relying on it as a big factor in this win. It’s not unthinkable that Sean could have taken a tired BJ to the ground and gnp’d his way to a victory late in the fifth round.
The only unfortunate downside of this strategy is that he’s required to actually make it to rounds four and five…

by Simco on May 26, 2008 12:58 PM EDT reply actions

almost

but not quite—IMO he could afford to stand for 2 rounds but needed to win the 3rd, 4th and 5th on points by getting and keeping top position.

by Nate Wilcox on May 26, 2008 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree that he was probably trying to wear BJ down for a couple rounds. He tried to close the distance several times, but BJ kept him up and in danger, so he had to back off. BJ just couldn’t miss with those stiff jabs.

Unfortunately for Sherk, by the 3rd, it was to late.

You know, I stated before, that Sherk’s best chance was to frustrate BJ and break his will. It turned out, that was more accurate for BJ. I think Sherk was frustrated that he couldn’t impose his will and got sidetracked away from his gameplan, imo.

"They said you was hung!!"

"And they was RIGHT!"

by BJJDenver on May 26, 2008 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow. You guys have been saying some crazy shit recently…

P.S. Never forget abotut how wrong you were about DREAM in relation to Sakuraba and Aoki. You owe DREAM an apology.

by AnonymousA on May 26, 2008 1:12 PM EDT reply actions

AnonA…. since you seem to have an all encompassing knowledge of the Japanese scene and the ability to string a few sentences together….there’s something to the side called the Fan Post…. put your money where your mouth is if you are so unhappy with the coverage that Bloodyelbow is providing….that is One thing about BE, if you have problems with the coverage, you have the ability to do something about it….

as with most every outlet that reports the japanese stuff to any degree, you are dealing with incomplete information….... you take folks like Suki to task but without her and JapanMMA and Nightmare of Battle we’d be getting next to no info…

by robnashville on May 26, 2008 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions

hmmm

You’re probably right about my making mistakes in interpreting Japanese rumors. But that’s entirely different than posting opinions you don’t agree with.
In both cases the solution is simple and already suggested by Rob—post your own stuff smart guy.

by Nate Wilcox on May 26, 2008 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Well taking the fight as late as the 4th and 5th round pretty much ensures that Sherk has to finish the fight with KO/TKO because he’d be so far behind on point. I don’t know if that is a very intelligent gameplan.

I was expecting by mid 3rd Sherk would have started to try shooting but he didn’t, by end of the round it was really obvious he had nothing to try and beat Penn.

by pr0cs on May 26, 2008 1:13 PM EDT reply actions

The whole time I was wondering when he was going to shoot. He did once or twice if I recall, but they were sloppy or lazy attempts that BJ shrugged off easily. He wasn’t setting anything up. His didn’t seem like he was punching in combos. By the third, I was really starting to question what was up with Sherk. Then he gets taken out. I figure BJ and all that steroid talk really did get to Sherk and got in his head. I think Sherk was probably beaten before he even entered the octagon. Honestly, I don’t think Sherk did himself any favors with that lackluster performance.

by pud333 on May 26, 2008 3:30 PM EDT reply actions

The commentatertots were saying that he may have broken his hand early on. Has there been any news on that front?

by mythbuster on May 26, 2008 3:43 PM EDT reply actions

haven't heard anything yet

but I don’t see how a broken hand stops a take down.

by Nate Wilcox on May 26, 2008 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

I think Sherk believed going into this fight that he could keep the fight standing and outbox BJ Penn. He believed wrong.

I also think he was desparate to prove he is not a boring fighter. In the post fight interview he said something along the lines of “the fans paid to see a fight in the main event.” I think the talk of him being boring etc may have got to him.

by Michael Rome on May 26, 2008 4:01 PM EDT reply actions

You know, that is funny. Many people say Sherk is boring, but whenever I have seen him fight, he tries to strike, has great take downs and always tries for good position for his gnp. He was passing Franca (whom I like) without much trouble.

And I seriously think many, including Sherk, vastly underestimate BJ’s striking. he has good striking for 170, so no doubt it is one of the most effective at 155.

"They said you was hung!!"

"And they was RIGHT!"

by BJJDenver on May 26, 2008 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Stats change

The question is, could any strategy have worked against Penn? Does anybody here want to risk going to the ground with BJ? Sherl’s a damned good wrestler, but all it would take is for BJ to get top position once in a scramble, and that could be all she wrote for Sherk.

Also: We need a new way of calculating reach – the wingspan measurement doesn’t address the body type difference between Sherk and Penn – Sherk’s reach is inflated by his broad shoulders. I don’t know a fair way to measure arm length, but DAMN was Sherk unable to compete with those gimpy arms of his.

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.

by jemaleddin on May 26, 2008 6:30 PM EDT reply actions