I only want see BJ move up if he does it right

aka.. take a lot of time off. Put on muscle… not just get chubby and not cut weight.

I said from the day this match was made that I believed that Kenny Florian was a more complete fighter than Sanchez. And last night proved it in many ways. The BJ/Florian fight was much more competitive until the untimely end. Florian pretty well easily out hustled and then stopped Guida when Sanchez could not.

But to those who thought Diego unworthy because of the way the match went. Go cry about it. Because the fact is Sanchez had 25 tough fights. He was never stopped or submitted before last night. He only lost twice to Fitch and Koscheck(in tough battles that went to decision). He just ran into an elite fighter. As I have said from the beginning, the only one that can truly beat BJ Penn is himself.

All things being said I think that Gray Maynard gets the next shot. It will be a harder fight for BJ but with the same outcome. After that, I don’t see any reason to keep fighting the lightweights if I am BJ. But if he moves up again, he needs to do it proper and not just come in at walk around weight, build the shoulders and thighs up slowly.

But to me Sakuraba post-Arona fight looked worse

It was pure irony that diego was fighting his clear better and Guida was fighting Florian at the same time. After the Guida v. Sanchez fight, it was dramatic how different two fighters react when they come into the cage truly believing they can win vs. being star struck. Sanchez looked defeated after the first round. Guida the same. Both were disgustingly bloody at the end. The same fighters that gave us an amazing fight not to long ago.

Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me can help me out:

Who was in BJ’s corner – other than Rudy Valentino – the guy who said stuff like “keep touching him” etc., and did most of the talking b/w rounds?

Just curious.

His face looks like a horror movie. Oh, and that was what most people would call getting schooled. BJ is a monster at 155, so the question is, who’s next?

Halfway thru Round 4 last night I wondered aloud if Diego’s corner was going to let him answer the bell for Round 5 and got little to no reaction from those around me. I think it’s the responsibility of the cornermen/coaches to protect their fighter’s future and considering by that stage Diego had no chance of winning that fight on points or stoppage, his corner made a huge error. When BJ’s brother made the call to throw in the towel during BJ/GSP II, it made a ton of sense to me. Why let it continue? In boxing, it’s acceptable to throw in the towel to protect the fighter’s future and I think it’s strange we don’t see it more often in MMA.

Of course, I understand in MMA the fight can turn at any moment, but in instances like last night’s fight shouldn’t a cornerman be thinking about the next fight, too? Diego’s guys let him answer the bell for Round 5 and now this really talented young fighter will probably never be the same guy as a result.

He probably never really recovered right from the first knockdown.