Post-Hangover Strikeforce: Evolution and WEC 45 Thoughts
by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 20, 2009 2:02 PM EST
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I've spent the early part of the day burning though last night's double header on my Tivo. It's always hard to get the right "feel" of an event watching the next day but still, there were a lot of takeaways after watching the events.
Strikeforce: Evolution
- Mo Lawal is not my cup of tea, and beating a bloated Mike Whitehead after beating a bloated Mark Kerr doesn't leave me positive that he's got the goods to be a top-level talent. That being said, he is an exciting fighter and does have a solid skillset. The big takeaway from the Mo fight is that Showtime doesn't know their fighters well enough to show the right ring entrances and allow personalities to sell future fights.
- Jacaré is a legitimate talent and is a threat to anyone at 185 pounds. His striking looked very sharp against Lindland and obviously his submission game is for real.
- Josh Thomson v. Gilbert Melendez was a great fight. It was technical enough to satisfy the MMA snob in me while having periods of sloppy brawling that appealed to the "yeah! punch him!" Joe-fightfan in me.
- It is a real shame that Scott Smith's amazing win is getting lost in the always pointless pro-Zuffa v. anti-Zuffa debate. While everyone is focusing on the fact that Smith would never headline a UFC event they're missing out on the fact that he weathered a brutal storm and delivered a stunning come from behind KO. Regardless of how great Le really is or the fact that Smith isn't an elite fighter, it was a great moment in the sport and one that should be able to be enjoyed by any true MMA fan. If you're caught up worrying about the quality of the fight as a headliner, you're missing out on a fight that defines so many of the things that make our sport great.
- I'm often one of the loudest voices when it comes to how awful the Strikeforce announce team is. Heading into the main event I was actually thinking that they had done a very good job of keeping everything under control. But once Cung Le started throwing kicks it was like a switch was flipped. We went into full hyperbole mode and you could almost head a scramble to cover every time Frank Shamrock pointed out that Le's kicks don't really "hurt." It was a brutal oversell of a fighter who still had many questions to answer in his overall MMA game.
- Time management remains an issue for Showtime. They had a two and a half hour block and went off the air after two hours and ten minutes. For an event originally scheduled to include five fights to have not fit in one undercard bout in those extra 20 minutes was a shame. Antwain Britt won his fight in one round, they could have gotten him on TV since it does appear that they'll be moving him to a main card bout soon. I'm sure this was more a decision by Showtime than Strikeforce, but as partners they need to look out for the good of the promotion which includes helping build stars for future events.
WEC: 45
- Takeya Mizugaki is a fun fighter to watch but I don't think he's a good fit for the WEC. Jorgensen was able to take advantage of Mizugaki's poor defensive tendencies over and over in the first two rounds. I have my doubts about Scott Jorgensen's ability to compete at the very top end of the division, but he's always good for an enjoyable fight.
- Anthony Njokuani looked great. I've said over and over that he has arguably the best right hand in the sport and his head kicks are nasty. But it looked like his wrestling is getting better which is a very big deal. If he can get his grappling to the point where he can keep fights standing I don't know if anyone can beat him in a straight up striking war. And what the hell was Horodecki thinking? You never turn your back, and if you do you sure as hell should keep your hands up. He deserved to get kicked in the head for that one.
- Brad Pickett will probably never be a star, but it's hard not to appreciate a good Peruvian necktie.
- Donald Cerrone clearly won every round of that fight but the fight was tainted by too many rule infractions. Three low blows and a cage grab really took away from what was otherwise a very impressive performance. Cerrone is one of the better fighters in the world at using his length. The body kicks from Donald seemed to be the thing that changed the fight more than anything. It suddenly became very hard for Ratcliff to close distance without eating a kick to the ribs. Once that thought was in Ed's head it opened up the punches for Cerrone who took it over. I am not a fan of his personality, but I don't think we're seeing the cowboy go away any time soon.
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I wonder if the announcers are present for the Strikeforce prelims? I enjoyed the card but the announcers kill it for me. Someone needs to ask Striekforce to replace those 2.
by Riney on Dec 20, 2009 2:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I think you could have scored the Takeya Mizugaki fight a draw. I believe he is still a force at his weight. Anything can happen in a fight and Jorgensen was having a good night.
by mr. gogoplata on Dec 20, 2009 2:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I'd love to be wrong about him...
i just think he’s going to lose a lot of fights in the promotion
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by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 20, 2009 2:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i don’t know. he was so game against migs, and his chin has got to be granite because he got caught flush with overhands and stumbled but didn’t really ever seem out of the fight
by amadeus on Dec 20, 2009 2:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yep
I thought he won the fight if not for the takedowns in round two. Maybe he needs to spend more time addressing his takedown defense, even though his scrambling puts him right back on his feet (guys still get credits for fruitless takedowns, sadly).
I don’t think he’s going anywhere.
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
by Blackout612 on Dec 20, 2009 3:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I wonder how that will affect his movie career.
I dislike Matt Hughes. Shogun beat him like a dirty horse.
by MonkeyCHops on Dec 20, 2009 2:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I imagine he won’t ever look quite the same…I would say screw the movies for a while. Le should train like a madman and make an effort to go out on a high note. I can’t imagine it would feel right to end his career like this.
by Koob on Dec 20, 2009 2:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Cung lit Smith up all fight, but Smith put a beating on him in the end.
I love me some Sexyama!
by pud333 on Dec 20, 2009 6:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
While everyone is focusing on the fact that Smith would never headline a UFC event they’re missing out on the fact that he weathered a brutal storm and delivered a stunning come from behind KO. Regardless of how great Le really is or the fact that Smith isn’t an elite fighter, it was a great moment in the sport and one that should be able to be enjoyed by any true MMA fan.
Couldnt agree more! Smith may not be or might never be a top 5 or 10 guy, but he has now been the architect of 3 of the greatest comeback moments in MMA history (IMO).
Pete Sell’s body shot….KO
Benji Radach’s beatdown…KO
Cung Le’s domination… KO
He’s become one of my favorite guys to watch, even if he’s not a top of the division guy.
Here is why UFC=NFL and SF=XFL doesnt work. SF can get away with and even prosper while showing less than top caliber fighters competing, as long as the fights are entertaining. This is because MOST fans watch fights for the spectacle of the thing, the entertainment value. Football is a little different. Its not as dependent on the pure entertainment aspect, but more so on the competition aspect. Thats why the Arena Football League failed… Even though they scored 100 points total in most games, people only wanted to see the best and most competitive teams/players… Those are all in the NFL. The XFL tried to be about entertainment but it didnt work because they couldnt fool anyone into believing that they had the best players.
MMA doesn’t have this problem… Most people (ok, most GUYS) will stop to watch a fight on the street corner even if its two dopes brawling. If SF can continue to put on entertaining fights, most viewers wont care if the fighters are top 10 or top 40, just as long as they entertain.
To us (hardcores) the rankings matter… but to most viewers (the ones that count to the bottom line) whats the difference in a fight between #7 vs #4 as opposed to #14 vs #24? they aren’t gonna watch an amazing battle and then say “who cares, it doesn’t even affect the MMA landscape.” They dont care about the broader MMA landscape, only about being entertained.
A true MMA fan from the great state of Arkansas.
by MMArazorback on Dec 20, 2009 8:26 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
A nice write up but it does fall apart when those casual fans become more involved and knowledgeable, which is the goal of introducing this to a larger audience. They aren’t just trying to be the fad of the week to get people to watch they are trying to grow a serious following for the organizations and the sport (both Zuffa and Strikeforce have the goal of growing market share). It’s that deeper appeal than just momentary entertainment that is needed for the sport to actually survive and grow into a permanent spot in professional sports. Just grabbing someone’s eye like a fist fight on the street corner is only the first step, after that you have to keep them coming back for more and more or else they will just get bored and keep on walking.Y
ou have to remember the goal isn’t just to get eyes to occasionally watch it’s to get wallets to open and for companies to make money off this sport. Strikeforce(just like all the orgs before them) has stated that they want to get to the point where they are running PPVs because that is where the money is made and to get to that level requires a more involved fanbase.
by who me on Dec 21, 2009 8:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
What’s better, Peruvian necktie or comeback KO?
Keep firing Assholes!
Fedor has accomplished nothing until he fights Kimbo.
by Ubernoober on Dec 20, 2009 2:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Comeback KO.
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by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 20, 2009 2:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
What if Cerrone had gotten that kneebar?
Guillotine.
by iiowyn on Dec 20, 2009 2:36 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
reverse triangle+ kneebar= submission of the year candidate
by amadeus on Dec 20, 2009 2:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That was....funky
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by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 20, 2009 2:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Kneebar set up by a inverted triangle hold…
by mr. gogoplata on Dec 20, 2009 2:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i think the triangle prevented him from cranking the knee though
by amadeus on Dec 20, 2009 2:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That thing was beautiful.
"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito Ortiz on Vitor Belfort at Affliction:DOR
by Rundownloser on Dec 20, 2009 2:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
disagree about Cerrone's kicks
what made Ratcliff try to stay out of range were the THREE shots to the nuts.
the way i look at it, once might be an accident. twice … maybe. three times? Cerrone did it on purpose. and then to stand and complain that Ratcliff didn’t want to engage? tell you what, buddy. let me whack you in the groin three times within 10 minutes and see how you like it. (that was theorhetical … not actually asking Brent to let me whack him in the nuts.)
Cerrone should’ve been disqualified. i know there are a lot of Cowboy nuthuggers on this board, but those were some dirty tactics.
by bobthewriter on Dec 20, 2009 2:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
This is true. The nut shots do sap your energy and after three I’m sure they did have an effect on Ratcliff beyond the minute or two he took to “recover”
I’m really not a fan of Cerrone…but he’s a threat for sure.
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by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 20, 2009 2:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
those knees, while very sloppy, were definately not intentional. he had the plum, and ratcliff walked into a knee. i did very much like when cerrone threw the jumping knee from the plum and caught ed.
Cerrone needs to be tested more in the UFC. He’s such a gamer. Let us see him rematch benderson or varner, and if he manages to win/ improve his td defense, i’d like to see him moved to the UFC
by amadeus on Dec 20, 2009 2:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
no.
Cerrone knew by the time he threw that THIRD knee where it was going to go. should have been a DQ for repeated and obviously blatant fouls.
i personally don’t care to see him again at all. i thought — and still think — it was a cheap tactic. and of course it worked. Ratcliff didn’t want to close distance anymore — every time he did, he got popped in the nuts.
by bobthewriter on Dec 20, 2009 2:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
if you don’t care to see him again, then you must have a serious problem with fighters that have dynamic striking and grappling skills, and a terminator mentality, that don’t get tired… ever…
and if you have a problem with those types of fighters, i don’t know what you like to watch
by amadeus on Dec 20, 2009 2:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i have a problem with blatant cheating.
i think Cerrone’s a good fighter. never said otherwise. i don’t like his attitude, period. when you are in the middle of the ring complaining that another fighter won’t close distance — after you’ve hit him in the groin repeatedly — i think that’s crap. the only person who complains louder or longer than Cerrone is BJ Penn.
by bobthewriter on Dec 20, 2009 3:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Win if you can, lose if you must, but always cheat.
by nottheface on Dec 20, 2009 3:07 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Show me definitive proof that it was intentional and I will agree with you but as of right now it’s just purely your personal opinion. If it was intentional to try and win then it was a very stupid plan because it damn near cost him the fight. I don’t like Cerrone either but how many fights have we seen with multiple accidental nut shots, eye pokes and shots to the back of the head, these things do happen and many times they happen multiple times in a fight.
by who me on Dec 20, 2009 3:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
same way, every time.
Cerrone threw the same knee in basically the same situation, every time. certainly got the same result. like i up the thread … once can be an accident. twice, maybe. three times? within five or 10 minutes? don’t piss on my head and tell me it’s raining. those low blows were Golota-like in their purpose and intensity.
by bobthewriter on Dec 20, 2009 4:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It is muscle memory that caused him to throw those knees. He trained to throw knees to the midsection, but unfortunately the way Radcliff was defending them caused him to get hit in the balls. An effective if painful defense. Cowboy unfortunately wasn’t really good at ignoring muscle memory after the first one.
Do you really think Cerrone would nutshot a guy he was beating badly and ruin the momentum he was building up in the second round? Especially after two low blows called already? Cowboy is stubborn as all get out, but he ain’t that stupid.
Guillotine.
by iiowyn on Dec 20, 2009 4:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
not sure you should underestimate his stupidity. however, i was working at the time of his fight. got to see some of it, but not all. from what i saw, Ratcliff was holding his own. i’ve since seen the fight replay, and i think it’s likely that Ratcliff was tougher than Cerrone expected.
i did manage to see all three nut shots — live, oddly enough. i can almost buy muscle memory — if he had been going for knees to the thigh (different movement). with Cerrone’s height advantage, with the plum grip? those knees should have been in the gut or sternum. shouldn’t have landed low.
by bobthewriter on Dec 20, 2009 5:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Actually I would be more convinced by three shots that were nothing alike at all, if you throw three nut shots from different stances with different techniques then it would look more like you were targeting that area not less.
by who me on Dec 20, 2009 8:31 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
that's ...
an interesting perspective. i don’t know what i think about that.
by bobthewriter on Dec 20, 2009 11:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
How many knees did he throw just like those that didn’t hit the guy in the nuts? If the Ref thought they were intentional then he would of DQ’d Cerrone on the spot (and Herb Dean is one of the best refs in the sport).
It’s ridiculous that it happened three times and yea he did deserve to have points taken away for it but there is a huge stretch from there to “he did it intentionally” and your going to have to come up with more than the fact that Cerrone should of changed striking strategy after a couple of bad knees to show it was.
by who me on Dec 21, 2009 8:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
thinking about it ...
for me, i guess it’s that third knee that really puts it over the top for me. it’s like that old saying: stupidity is defined by doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.
so, intentional knee or stupidity?
by bobthewriter on Dec 21, 2009 12:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Stupidest thing ive read in a while
You really think this guy trains his ass off daily and fights for a living but his plan to win is dick kicks?
Jesus christ man if all you had to do was kick a dude in the dick to win anyone on here couldve headlined last nights event.
Did it have an effect I bet, but to say that he was intentionally kickin this dudes dick to win is stupid and all of us here are a little less intelligent after having to read what you said.
I'm not calling him dad, even if theres a fire
by II SMASH II on Dec 20, 2009 6:55 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
Yeah
I’ve been avoiding the argument because it’s evident all three were unintentional. He wasn’t willing to abandon one of his best weapons in the plum because Ratcliff was trying to pull out of it backwards. He kept righting himself, which only tightened Cerrone’s grasp, so his groin would meet knees intended for his abdomen. Cerrone clearly didn’t need to dick kick someone a dozen times to soften him up, especially when he’s handily winning these rounds and giving points away.
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
by Blackout612 on Dec 20, 2009 7:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
i hate to see your take on this
because usually i agree with a lot of what you write. but your viewpoint here smacks of blaming the victim — oh, if he hadn’t put his groin in the way, it wouldn’t have gotten hit. lame.
by bobthewriter on Dec 20, 2009 11:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That's just not fair
I’m saying that Cerrone didn’t do what he did intentionally. Not that it was Ratcliff’s fault— it was just an unfortunate series of manuevers that kept happening. Both individuals concede that after the fact; so why can’t you? I’ve trained muay thai for years and it’s clear when someone is driving low to score groin shots. There’s a clear difference between turning the neck sideways to score inside-thigh and pulling down the neck to score the abdomen. Watch it again and see that Cerrone is wrenching Ratcliff’s neck down and Ratcliff’s reaction to that is to pull his neck back to resist taking potential knees to the face. Cerrone did not have intentions of making Ratcliff impotent, nor did he need to knee his hang-down three times to secure victory. I think what you saw bothered you and you made it the worst thing possible.
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
by Blackout612 on Dec 21, 2009 3:26 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
at what point ...
do you stop throwing a technique if you’re repeatedly fouling the other fighter? that third knee is what put it over the top for me. by that time, Cerrone really had to know where that knee was going to land, and he threw it anyway.
i’m definitely pretty … angered, dismayed, offended, whatever you wanna call it … about the nut shots. if you repeatedly foul your opponent, i think it ought to be a DQ.
by bobthewriter on Dec 21, 2009 3:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
If you trained for 3 months to use that strategy then it’s going to be very hard to get away from using it. How many knees did he throw that didn’t hit the guys nuts? When do you throw outan otherwise working gameplan because of an occasional miss? Shouldn’t that go back to his corner and his trainer telling him to switch game plans?
by who me on Dec 21, 2009 8:25 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
his corner isn't the one dogging another dude in the nuts
by bobthewriter on Dec 21, 2009 12:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yea but you would think his corner should of been giving him advice after the first round to stop throwing those knees and try something that didn’t risk costing him a point.
by who me on Dec 21, 2009 2:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
if that's the stupidest thing you've read in awhile
you’re not going to the right places on the internet.
and i’m not sure you can get any less intelligent, but i’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.
my point is that three low blows in less than 10 minutes probably did more to affect the outcome of the fight than than the body kicks. do i think they were intentional? yeah, i do. like i said. once is an accident. twice, maybe a coincidence. but the third time’s the charm, IMO.
by bobthewriter on Dec 20, 2009 11:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I think fighters over play the nut shots for a breather…. you guys know they are wearing cups? I used to be a catcher and taking a speeding baseball to the cup and it’s not that bad. I don’t know about the ufc move, only if he clears out that lightweights should he be fed to BJ.
by mr. gogoplata on Dec 20, 2009 2:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I was also a catcher. I caught for some guys who washed out in the minor leagues and I took my fair share of shots to the cup. But the angle and size of what you get hit in a fight really affects you past the cup. I’m not saying that no one lies about it…but they do suck…bad.
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by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 20, 2009 2:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Memories
I got hit in the beans once at third base. It was in pregame warm ups and the coach was hitting us ground balls. I had not put my cup in yet and he was absolutely screaming the ball down the line. I have always worn a cup from the time I was seven till I stopped playing, but I was caught off guard in the field and without a cup. The ball took one hope into the grapes and I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak. The other guys at third rotated in and took a few more rounds, all I could do was waive them up to go. My Dad was watching and wondering why I had stopped and was crouched down and in the way of the other guys. He started yelling. “Steve, whats wrong? You need to take more warm ups! Get up!” This is the only time my dad ever said anything to me while i was in the field, so it was poor timing because I couldn’t respond. Best way I can describe it, baseball is to my balls as a boxer is to a speedbag.
Some people think I am a dumb, ugly human being, but really I am a beautiful ape, with exceptional verbal skills.
by szucconi on Dec 20, 2009 2:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
this girl i went to elementary school with used to wear steel tipped shoes (i have no idea why) and kick me and other guys in the shins and kick and knee us in the nuts. as we all know, a kick to the shin is almost but not quite equally devastating to those of us who don’t condition our shins. needless to say, she sucked.
by amadeus on Dec 20, 2009 3:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
probably tap shoes
those things hurt.
by bobthewriter on Dec 20, 2009 3:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Fasle, did you have ice on your shins for three weeks and walk around like a virgin who had been riding a horse? Also, when it comes time for me to create another humanbeing, I hope I am able.
Some people think I am a dumb, ugly human being, but really I am a beautiful ape, with exceptional verbal skills.
by szucconi on Dec 20, 2009 3:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
the worst for me
i used to do a little karate. got fancy once in sparring and did a jumping reverse sidekick. my opponent threw a reverse sidekick at the same time and nailed me. i was wearing a cup, but the heel of dude’s foot hit my taint, and then actually drove the cup up into the beans. i was done for the night.
by bobthewriter on Dec 20, 2009 3:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Take it from somebody who has worn protective cups for years......
The 3 shots… and virtually ALL shots to the nuts are highly overrated…. I have never been hurt in the groin area with the proper cup on. I am not saying they shouldn’t be discouraged from happening. But all the hype about them being “fight changing” is BS.
by SimplePsych on Dec 20, 2009 7:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Post-Hangover Strikeforce: Evolution and WEC 45 Thoughts
Post-hangover nothing, I still have a hangover. fortified wine and almost two feet of snow means I get messed up.
Some people think I am a dumb, ugly human being, but really I am a beautiful ape, with exceptional verbal skills.
by szucconi on Dec 20, 2009 2:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
That was a lie on my part...
We threw our annual big ass holiday cocktail party last night. I’m still nursing it.
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by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 20, 2009 2:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
A more relevent post about what you wrote.
The UFC should have never dropped Smith. He is by no means a top tier fighter, but he pretty much always delivers a good fight.
Heading into the main event I was actually thinking that they had done a very good job of keeping everything under control
I have not seen strikeforce yet, but a freind was texting me dumb thing Mauro was saying all night. We hate him and enjoy laughing at him. One was, El Nino means hurricane. That must be canadian spanish. Mauro is not so good. At least Shamrock didn’t declare Josh Thomson to be the first openly gay fighter, again.
Some people think I am a dumb, ugly human being, but really I am a beautiful ape, with exceptional verbal skills.
by szucconi on Dec 20, 2009 2:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
haha.
I will say…I fast forwarded through everything that wasn’t an actual fight. So they may have said all kinds of dumb shit that I missed. But at least mid fight most stuff was passable compared to some of the “gems” they drop
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by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 20, 2009 2:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
gems like “kimbo is to mma what tiger woods is to golf”?
by amadeus on Dec 20, 2009 2:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Did you catch Frank saying that Smith/Le was “The young lion versus the…… old lion”?
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
by Blackout612 on Dec 20, 2009 3:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
hahaha…no…I missed that
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by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 20, 2009 3:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Question: are you using " ass" as a noun or an adjective?
by nottheface on Dec 20, 2009 3:35 PM EST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
That snowstorm was hellacious, but damn good timing for some MMA.
Guillotine.
by iiowyn on Dec 20, 2009 2:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
had to drunkily dig out a spot for a car at 3:30….yip
by mr. gogoplata on Dec 20, 2009 2:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Does this always happen with Cerrone?
He likes to hang back for the first couple of rounds then turn it up before the fight ends, I think he has enough cardio to fight with that aggresive style
by IRodC on Dec 20, 2009 2:29 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
This is what I was thinking. It works when you can TKO the guy, but against somebody tough, like Benderson its just not going to work. Its really becoming a problem for him.
by hlebtasic on Dec 20, 2009 2:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Im very impressed by Cerrone’s ability to throw fast heavy shots with his lead leg. A quick snap kick or a fast switch kick his left leg is as dangerous as his right. Some serious Thai skills.
by mr. gogoplata on Dec 20, 2009 2:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The Horodecki knockout was the funniest fight in recent memory. I couldn’t believe he dropped his hands and just ran away like that. When Njokuwani caught him I was going nuts. Somebody needs to make a gif of that.
by hlebtasic on Dec 20, 2009 2:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
ohman thats hilarious. he ran away? seriously?
by thisredengine on Dec 20, 2009 2:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
When a large angry Nigerian is after you, turning and running is the worst thing you can do. Especially if you look like a 12 year old.
Guillotine.
by iiowyn on Dec 20, 2009 3:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Time for everyone to google/youtube Ben Rothwell vs. Fat Kid.
Some people think I am a dumb, ugly human being, but really I am a beautiful ape, with exceptional verbal skills.
by szucconi on Dec 20, 2009 3:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That is the worst thing I have ever seen.
by hlebtasic on Dec 20, 2009 3:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
What the hell was he thinking?
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
by duck on Dec 20, 2009 3:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
He was looking for his shoes and a way out of the arena.
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
by Blackout612 on Dec 20, 2009 3:32 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
“Run away! Run away! Run a- oshit”
Guillotine.
by iiowyn on Dec 20, 2009 4:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Right at that moment he remembered he was out past curfew.
The only thing Jon Jones does better than Matt Hamill is hear.
(And smash faces)
by ufc4 on Dec 20, 2009 4:58 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
He is the cecil peoples camp
can’t you see that great Octagon control he was utilizing?
by mr. gogoplata on Dec 20, 2009 2:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
In all seriousness
that’s a nice kick. Pretty sure he never practiced hitting a high target moving AWAY from him, so setting up his range on the fly like that was pretty awesome
by Shaun32887 on Dec 21, 2009 2:19 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Horodecki absolutely proved he has no business being in the WEC. certainly not at 155. he could probably make 135, but i’m not sure he’d be explosive enough to deal with the contenders there.
by bobthewriter on Dec 20, 2009 2:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah
I always though Chris looked like a cocky 12 year old… and that’s exactly how he came off in that fight.
by Shaun32887 on Dec 21, 2009 2:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
another take-away...
Mazz once again proved he is a terrible ref by not stopping the Horodecki fight sooner and Herb Dean once again proved he is one of the two best refs by catching the fence grab by Cerronne.
by Niles on Dec 20, 2009 3:22 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Takeya Mizugaki is a fun fighter to watch but I don’t think he’s a good fit for the WEC
I think Mizugaki is a perfect fit for the WEC. He may never get a title shot again, but he’s got exactly the kind of high-pace strikes n’ scrambles style the WEC is becoming known for. If you’d said this about someone like Wagnney Fabiano, I’d get it. But Mizugaki?
by JRN on Dec 20, 2009 3:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I should clarify. It’s not that he’s not a good fit in that he isn’t exciting. I love watching him fight. I just mean I don’t think he’s going to find a ton of success (as in wins) in the WEC
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by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 20, 2009 6:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
WEC superfights
Cerrone vs Aldo
Faber vs. Torres
by amadeus on Dec 20, 2009 3:57 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
maybe we should have aldo defend his belt against an actual contender instead
by yngjzy on Dec 20, 2009 7:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Why does it have to be an either/or proposition?
by JRN on Dec 20, 2009 7:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I’m surprised you’re not positive that Lawal has the goods to be a top tier fighter. Once he drops to LHW, he’ll be the best wrestler by far in a division full of strikers and (at best) above average wrestlers (evans, ortiz and hammil although Bones Jones is the real deal in the clinch at least). (Bader is better than above-average but his uninspiring standup coupled with merely “solid” cardio does not lead me to believe he’s going to be relevant, although the lack of wrestling talent in the LHW division might allow him to crack the top 10 at some point in the future.) I know he hurt his knee in the fight before this one but he looked like he was moving well. His striking and head movement looked very good for someone with so few fights and he obviously has good power. The only question I have about him is how intelligent a fighter he’ll be and whether his egotistical persona is basically just an act or something that will lead him to adopt foolhardy game plans and take unjustified risks. After he finished pouring the second can of Rockstar over himself (I’m sure Rockstar was thrilled to have received such a classy plug), I’m thinking that making good decisions in the ring may not be his thing. Talent-wise though, he’s probably the best LHW prospect out there.
by The Darkness on Dec 20, 2009 5:30 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
It’ll take Mo getting a savage beating before he comes back to be a top tier fighter. He’s clearly overconfident in his abilities and struts around the cage with his hands low. Most of the UFC’s LHW roster would eat him up.
by nastyem on Dec 20, 2009 5:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
To clarify, I don’t think Mo is currently a top tier fighter but seems to be without question given his wrestling background and already competent striking a top tier talent. I don’t know how good his sub defense is but I know he was training with Dean Lister at one point and anyone who wins three US national championships is capable of absorbing (if willing to do so) enough BJJ to become competent on the ground. I disagree with the “eat him alive” point, kind of. I think that Lawal is a bad match up for just about everyone (with the caveat that his BJJ is unknown to me) in the UFC’s LWH division because there are no good wrestlers. That said, Lawal might not be content to grind out victories using his wrestling and seems overconfident on his feet. Given that the UFC’s LHW division is full of strikers and given Lawal’s ego, that might lead him to be owned. I would like to see him fight Hendo.
by The Darkness on Dec 20, 2009 6:35 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
^ This. Mo would get beaten quite badly against any top tier guy. Gegard, Hendo, and any top level UFC fighter would all beat him IMO.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" - Philippians 4:13
by Noah'sArk on Dec 20, 2009 6:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Lawal could, if he decided to wrestle, give Hendo serious problems on the ground. Hendo has never been a great defensive wrestler. Palhares, Arona, Jackson, etc. have all been able to get him on his back. Lawal is a far better (on paper) wrestler than anyone Hendo has faced. Hendo is cagy though and should be favored because of how good he is in the clinch and his obviously having proven himself against outstanding competition. Lawal is an unknown quantity but an exciting one.
I think Gegard would own him. He has too many ways to win and is very good off his back.
I think he would have success against second tier UFC talent – Griffin, Ortiz, Cane, etc.
by The Darkness on Dec 20, 2009 6:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Regardless of how great Le really is or the fact that Smith isn’t an elite fighter, it was a great moment in the sport and one that should be able to be enjoyed by any true MMA fan.
I totally agree. I was wondering how long it would take for Smith to succumb, but he didn’t. When he clipped Cung and had him on the run, I was on my feet. The last time I was so pumped was when Tito slapped that triangle on Machida. It was truly exciting. This whole Zuffa vs the world shit is so old now. I’m just glad I was able to see a fight like that, and I hope to see plenty more.
I love me some Sexyama!
by pud333 on Dec 20, 2009 6:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Appreciate the Overhaul on this Article Brent
The things you added and you took out really made this a much more enjoyable article.
Esp. The few things about Strikeforce being in another league than WEC
I’m not resting until I’m officially Anderson Silva status.- Jon "Bones" Jones
by AfroSamurai on Dec 20, 2009 7:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I didn’t do an “overhaul” that was Kid Nate’s article. Not mine. I just wrote up a bit more of a detailed post on what I felt happened with both events.
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MMA Editor - SBNation.com
by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 21, 2009 9:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Nick Diaz vs Karo
Hendo vs Jake for 185 title Hendo obviously.
What about Karo vs Diaz 2? That was one of the greatest fights of all time and Karo was cut from the UFC.
Cung Le was killing Scott and could have just danced those last 2 minutes and won the fight. Luckily he lost which is what he gets for putting mma second to hollywood
by hatteras on Dec 20, 2009 7:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
The big takeaway from the Mo fight is that Showtime doesn’t know their fighters well enough to show the right ring entrances and allow personalities to sell future fights.
So true.
I felt the same way when they left the Fedor/Rogers entrances off the broadcast. That may have had more to do with time issues since it was the last fight of the show. No excuse for leaving Mo’s entrance off of a 2.5 hr show that only have 4 fights shown.
Mo’s personality and intros bring more to the table for SF than his actual fighting IMO.
A true MMA fan from the great state of Arkansas.
by MMArazorback on Dec 20, 2009 8:01 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Yeah. The Fedor entrance live was amazing. The crowd was losing their minds, the pyro was going, it was loud as hell. And it didn’t make the air because we had to show Mayhem dance his way down to the cage to get shut down?
Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
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by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 21, 2009 9:41 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Brent, I don’t believe Strikeforce tapes their prelims for inclusion on the broadcast. Having been to two events live this year, I don’t think the announcers are even out there for them.
by Matt Bishop on Dec 20, 2009 11:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
I still can’t find the Coenen vs Modafferi fight anywhere. It is very unfortunate that Strikeforce doesn’t seem to include their prelims, and it is something that they need to fix.
by chrisbboy82 on Dec 21, 2009 3:23 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Matt is correct that they don’t tape their prelims, but I do know for a fact that Coenen v. Modafferi was recorded as I was talking to the promotion about it and watched it get taped. For the rest of the chicago prelims the cameras were sitting on the ground.
That being said, it’s dumb as hell to not record them. You could use those fights being recorded for:
- DVD’s
- promotional material for the prelim guys down the road
- filler for if the show runs quickly
and a host of other things. Now if they move a guy like Britt to the main card they won’t have footage of him dropping the undefeated Lighty over and over again.
Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
MMA Editor - SBNation.com
by Brent Brookhouse on Dec 21, 2009 9:44 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
That’s because Coenen vs. Modaferri was deemed the swing bout a day before the event.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Dec 21, 2009 10:06 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Is it because Showtime is doing the production for them? It just doesn’t make sense to not tape those fights.
by who me on Dec 21, 2009 12:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
It really seems incredibly silly not to be documenting everything.
by JRN on Dec 21, 2009 1:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Honestly
In this day in age? Everything is on video. And this is a professional production.
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
by Blackout612 on Dec 21, 2009 2:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
What is the point of even having an undercard if you aren’t going to record those fights? Seriously those fights are valuable not to mention very important for filling out a card that goes short. Why pay out the money for those guys to fight if your not going to utilize them.
by who me on Dec 21, 2009 2:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
They do tape some with no audio (commentary added later)
You want proof? Go watch Tyron Woodley and Scott Lighty’s Rising prospect pieces by Strikeforce and Showtime, which they show their entire fights.
I agree, they should do the undercards or get HDNet to do them.
by MMASuPreMaCy on Dec 21, 2009 4:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Brent Brookhouse 1 - Kid Nate 0
A thoughtful recap and recognition on yesterday’s events with some thoughts on how the results will impact the next round of fights.
Vs.
Whose better, Strikeforce or UFC – Flame On!
by bignerd on Dec 21, 2009 2:21 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, I wish it wasn’t always about that, too. I enjoyed both events last night immensely and that whole SNES vs Genesis scenario never even crossed my mind until I came on here today.
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
by Blackout612 on Dec 21, 2009 3:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Brad Pickett will probably never be a star, but it’s hard not to appreciate a good Peruvian necktie.
The commentary team really got Brad Pickett wrong completely. He’s isn’t some sort of knockout artist or ground n’ pound specialist. Pickett’s whole “Mickey” persona and “One Punch” nickname completely misdirect people. He’s a very good Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter with solid transitions. He’s a pretty damn tough kid, and he should actually find some success in the division for exactly what he pulled off on Saturday.
Follow me on Twitter @lelandroling
"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
by Leland Roling on Dec 21, 2009 9:52 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Kid?
Isn’t Pickett in his 30’s? 31 if I’m not mistaken.. Ha..
"I’m sorry. I didn’t drink last night, so I’m not funny today."
-Sakuraba
by Blackout612 on Dec 21, 2009 2:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
The show vs the future
I think that the two shows have alot to offer all parties included. If you want to see the future stars and lighter weight fighters with technique its obvious which to watch. If you want to be entertained go for the one that’s telling you their business model on the name. Thats why they got a network deal. It doesn’t matter what the hardcore really thinks .To the network ,it makes up a small part of the general demographic. If the hardcore mattered the UFC would be the WWE and we would call Wrestling, Catch as catch can The “C.C.C” or Pancreation. Its not a new concept ,in fact its one of the oldest spectator sports on the planet just repackaged to the Sheople with money to buy Afflictions shirts for fifty bucks and tickets for a grand. I loved both shows and wish i had fifty bucks and a grand for a ticket . Thank god for split sceen plasmas.
by son of mark on Dec 21, 2009 10:21 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
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![Cesar Gracie talks Jake Shields, Gilbert Melendez and Nick Diaz:
- "Jake [Shields] is one of the world’s best welterweights. In my opinion he is the #2 in the world. His next fight will be against Dan Henderson at middleweight. Depending on how he does will determine his future weight class."
- "Shinya Aoki presents many challenges [for Gilbert Melendez]. He [Aoki] is extremely flexible and has good submissions. It is important to not trade submissions with him. Strikes must be employed to keep him off balance and uncomfortable."
- We are currently in discussion for Nick [Diaz]’s next fight. It is possible that he will be competing for Dream in his next fight. If he fights in Strikeforce first he will probably fight a weight class up at 185lbs. As of yet we do not have a firm opponent.
HT: m-1global.com
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