James Irvin: Quinton Jackson, Scott Smith Hit Harder Than Anderson Silva

by Luke Thomas on Jul 12, 2008 8:16 AM EDT in News Comment 32 comments

“I just don’t see myself losing,” Irvin said. “I’m expecting to take a lot of damage. I’m expecting to eat a lot of his shots, but I’ve sparred and trained with guys who hit a lot harder than he hits. I’d rather take three or four of his punches than fight someone like Quinton Jackson, who will just knock you out with either hand.

“I don’t think he has that kind of knockout power. I really don’t think he does. I’m not taking anything away from him, because he’s so well-rounded, but I don’t think he has that heavy handed punching power that someone like Scott Smith or Quinton Jackson does.”

On some level this is correct, although perhaps not for Smith. I can imagine that in terms of sheer punching power a guy like Rampage might be the stronger guy. But punching power isn't just raw power; it's also a product of technique. And on that account, Silva doesn't have many peers. Much is made of Silva's precision and while that's true, part of that can be accounted for by his economical striking. He doesn't have excess movement or throw lots of busy shots. That's partly why he was able to steamroll guys with iron chins like Chris Leben. Not only were the punches on the button, they were timed well and were thrown straight down the middle, emanating from the feet through the hips and ultimately into his hands. It's very sharp, very clean striking. From that, you can generate significantly more power than you would just trying to "punch hard". Silva is able to maximize his physical tools in that respect.

So while Rampage might have more natural physical power, I suspect Silva is able to compensate for what he lacks in that department with respectable strength and significantly better technique. Irvin might be very surprised at how hard Silva's strikes actually are.

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Dear James Irvin,

While you’re telling yourself that Silva can’t hit as hard as Rampage or Scott Smith, don’t forget to watch out for Spider’s knees which, most certainly, are far more devastating than all four of Rampage and Smith’s together.

Sincerely,
Rich Franklin

by Kierkegaard on Jul 11, 2008 4:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Nice!!!!

by lovingmma25 on Jul 11, 2008 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

LMAO! Very Nice… The Spider KO 1st round by way of murder!

by stevenwarrior on Jul 11, 2008 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He’s making the same mistake so many others make with Silva. For some reason they just take him to lightly and think that they have the kryptonite to beat Silva. If anybody can beat Silva it’s someone like Irvin, a strong, powerful striker. The problem is that it seems he thinks he’s got it all figured out and that Silva just isn’t that strong. If he’s thinking that then he’s going to end up on the heap with everybody else.

by dedstrk911 on Jul 11, 2008 4:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Scott Smith? I know he’s a good striker, but to be mentioned in the same breath as Quentin Jackson must have made Smith’s day.

by steak_knife on Jul 11, 2008 5:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Alot of people seriously have to work on a better understanding of the striking game. You’d think Irvin would have some knowledge about the science behind it, Kinetic linkage and all that. Strength doesn’t have much to do with power punching but weight does

by Yasnian on Jul 11, 2008 5:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Irvin is a B level fighter.

It’s nice to hype the fight, but at least pretend to understand what you’re up against. This is an MMA fight, and I might remind Irvin that he doesn’t typically fare well in these…you know, taken down at will, not able to get up, no ground game.

Irvin better hope for a one puch KO.

by tallsforeverybody on Jul 11, 2008 5:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

A lot of you are forgetting that James Irvin is a Light Heavyweight. Anderson may be able to muscle around guys about his size at 185, doing it against a guy who is 6’2 and probably 220 by fight time is gonna be difficult. Franklin’s clinch defense has always been sub par (against Rivera, Loiseau), James spends a considerable amount of time with Ganyo and uses the clinch to devastating effect (Doug Marshall, Bo Cantrell II).

by godzillad on Jul 11, 2008 5:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Even so, Irvin still needs to worry about Silva’s ground game, should the fight ever hit the ground.

by Flying Gogoplata on Jul 11, 2008 5:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yup

It’s certainly possible Silva could submit him.

by Luke Thomas on Jul 11, 2008 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Definitely.

But Silva would have to get Irvin to the ground first, and I don’t think Silva’s wrestling is good enough to get the bigger man down. Irvin’s best chance is to keep it standing and hope for a KO.

by pud333 on Jul 11, 2008 7:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why do you believe that? Irvin has not shown a lack of ground game. He’s been laid on by wrestlers (Ramirez, Martin, Lodune) and almost always went on to put them on his highlight reel. He’s been tapped one time by the 6’4 probably 220 Carlson Gracie blackbelt Stephan Bonnar.

It’s common knowledge that Anderson’s blackbelt was a gift from his friends the Noguira brothers, I find it funny that he’s somehow a monster on the floor when the only straight submission he’s ever had was against the defensibly liable Dan Henderson.

by godzillad on Jul 11, 2008 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’ve watched the Ramirez fight twice the past two days, and to say he simply “laid on” Irvin is a bit of an understatement.

by Mike Fagan on Jul 11, 2008 8:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A “gift”? People don’t just give away black belts.

by zeroword on Jul 11, 2008 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What on earth are you talking about? Anderson’s wrestling is terrible, but that’s hardly the issue. Irvin’s ground game is rudimentary..at best. He’d be manhandled quite easily if Irvin decided to take it to the floor or if somehow the fight ended up there.

Also, Bonnar was a purple belt when he tapped Irvin with the kimura.

And good jiu-jitsu isn’t just submissions. It’s positioning and other fundamentals. The only guy I’ve seen pass Silva’s guard were Takase (a bit of random win) and Lutter, an elite black belt. If you really want to believe his black belt is a “gift” from the Nogueiras, you’re dreaming.

by Luke Thomas on Jul 11, 2008 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know Joe Rogan said purple belt at UFC 73 and so does Wikipedia, but it’s black.

Also, just because it’s hard to pass his guard it doesn’t mean much. Nogueira couldn’t pass Jermey Horn’s guard.

by godzillad on Jul 12, 2008 1:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Having a guard that is hard to pass is such a valuable asset unless you’re fighting Fedor or prime Tito.

by Mike Fagan on Jul 12, 2008 1:54 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Having a difficult to pass guard doesn’t win you a fight, or belong in a discussion about Irvin vs Silva.

by godzillad on Jul 12, 2008 3:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Then please respond to the two other posts I’ve responded to you with that ARE relevant to this fight.

by Mike Fagan on Jul 12, 2008 7:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

James Irvin vs. Anderson Silva

Yeah, yeah, Irvin’s probably going to fight at 220, and Franklin’s clinch defense was shown up, blah, blah, blah. This all sounds like Irvin cheerleading. Remember how Silva manhandled Hendo? He’s no rookie to big guys. I’d be surprised if this went to a second round.

Of course, I also predicted a Rampage knockout of Griffin in Round 1.

by mmac on Jul 11, 2008 5:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ask Dan Henderson who hits harder (Rampage or Silva)

He went all five rounds with Rampage and took all he could muster.

Silva disposed of him in two rounds.

Now, go and ask Dan who hits harder…

by lucas_x on Jul 11, 2008 6:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Go ask Ryo Chonan who hits harder.

He dominated Anderson and then put on the greatest submission in MMA history.

Henderson knocked him out in seconds.

Now, go ask Chonan who hits harder.

by godzillad on Jul 11, 2008 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Anderson’s power has increased immensely since the Chonan fight.

by Mike Fagan on Jul 11, 2008 7:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or is he fighting people who he strikes better than? Weather it’s running at him wide open like Leben and Hendo or obvious superiority in the clinch against Franklin, James Irvin doesn’t have either of those liabilities.

by godzillad on Jul 11, 2008 8:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t know why it’s inconceivable to you that Anderson’s power would increase as he aged and put on weight. And Silva didn’t just dominate Franklin in the clinch. Look at the end of the first round in the second fight, he FLOORED Franklin with a right hook and would have ended the fight if he had been given just 5 more seconds.

James Irvin’s standup defense is atrocious. In addition, he throws every strike like it’s his last which causes him to fall off balance constantly.

by Mike Fagan on Jul 11, 2008 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Chonan got a surprise sub. Everyone gets surprised even the most experienced guys. Worst of all it was a reverse heel hook which is damn near impossible to escape.

by zeroword on Jul 11, 2008 9:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The more I read Irvin’s quotes the more I think he’s gonna get knocked out.

Intentional Blog on Balls

by Richard Wade on Jul 11, 2008 6:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Did anybody see the Sports Science episode with Rampage?

Dude hit’s harder than an All Star Linebacker sacks a quarterback. They said it proved that he hits hardest of any athlete in the World.

As for the fight, I don’t know… But I think Dana White picked Irvin for a reason… Know what I mean?

by MGMMMA on Jul 11, 2008 8:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

True, but apparently he was their fourth choice after a few other guys rejected the fight.

Anyone know how much bigger Irvin will be come fight time? 15 pounds or so would be my best guess.

Personally I see Anderson TKOing Irvin in the first.

by idefinecagefighter on Jul 12, 2008 7:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hang on

They said it proved that he hits hardest of any athlete in the World.

He hits hardest of any athlete they tested, that doesn’t mean he hits the hardest of any athlete in the world. I know Rampage hits hard, but there’s no way he’s the hardest hitter in the world.

by jebushchrist on Jul 12, 2008 8:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Irvin is toast. He has almost no ground game and Silva is a technition on the ground. let alone the brutal stand up that Irvin is going to absorb. i hope he doesnt underestimate Silva because that woukld be a huge mistake. i call it Silva via TKO 2nd

Stick to your morals and dont be influenced by the negative. Good does prevail in the long run. Dont be afraid to stand up for others who can't

by BLS1919 on Jul 13, 2008 1:00 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Props to Irvin

Whether he is just selling the fight or just talking a little nonsense, he has a good a chance as anybody at giving Silva his first loss in the UFC. I’m interested to see if he can do it and it’s an amazing opportunity in his career

all you gotta do is...

by imapimp08 on Jul 13, 2008 12:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs