Sean Sherk's Attitude Gives Frankie Edgar a Chance at UFC 98

by Michael Rome on May 18, 2009 4:00 PM EDT in News Comment 27 comments

It's always easy to tell when crowd reactions get to a fighter. You could see the hurt in Sean Sherk's eyes when he was booed out of the arena at UFC 80 when he confronted BJ Penn in the octagon.

At UFC 84, instead of trying to break BJ's cardio with his wrestling, Sherk chose to stand and trade. Some speculated he did this because he figured he couldn't take BJ down, but I don't buy that at all. He did it because he wanted to make the fight exciting. I think he's trying to win fans back over to his side, and as a result he's limiting himself.

In a Sherdog interview today Sherk gave me the impression his primary goal at UFC 98 is to have an exciting fight, not to win:

My last fight with Tyson [Griffin] was real exciting. We got "Fight of the Night." I think my fight with Frankie is going to be real exciting. I think -- assuming I do pull the win off in two fast-paced, exciting fights -- that the fans would be excited for Penn and Sherk 2.

Most people pick Sherk to beat Edgar because he has the advantage in the size, strength, and cardio departments. If it turns into a wrestling match, it's hard to see how Edgar can pull it off. However, if Sherk is happy to stand and trade, this fight is a tossup.

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At UFC 98, instead of trying to break BJ’s cardio with his wrestling, Sherk chose to stand and trade.

UFC 84.

by xDieseLx on May 18, 2009 4:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

is dat sum roid-era sherk?

by AnonymousA on May 18, 2009 4:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’d generally agree, but I think Sherk’s boxing is improving. He has some huge power and he’s pretty quick. Penn was quicker and stayed away. Edgar will have to do the same if he wants to win, and I don’t think he can do it.

Follow my analysis of all things MMA on BloodyElbow.com

by Leland Roling on May 18, 2009 4:31 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

uhh I have to disagree. Sherk doesnt have huge power, he never has. Sure his boxing has been improving, he punches are straighter, throws a nice straight jab. From the waist up technically he looks ok. But he never has and never will have power because he has no lower body or hip rotation in his punches. He throws “arm-punches”. Rewatch his fight with Tyson. Sure he landed some nice punches but he tries to muscle everything. With true rotation in his hips and lower body some of those punches that landed would have KOed or seriously hurt Tyson.

by nbs on May 18, 2009 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I couldn’t disagree more with some of this. Sherk has huge power. Look at him. The reason he hasn’t proven that his power translates to knockouts is because his boxing just isn’t that great. It’s improving though. I’m not saying he’s suddenly going to be this knockout king, but I think he’ll produce some surprises soon.

Follow my analysis of all things MMA on BloodyElbow.com

by Leland Roling on May 18, 2009 8:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah I can’t disagree more. You’re almost taking the quote out of context as that statement was regarding why he feels a victory over Edgar should get the fans excited to see him and BJ fight again if BJ beats Kenny. His fight with Tyson was exciting and he won, and if his fight with Edgar is exciting and he comes out victorious, Sherk will have two exciting victories in a row over two of the top lightweights in the division. That definitely warrants another crack at the belt. I think his “attitude” is summer up better by this quote:

I think he’s pretty well-versed. I don’t know how this fight is going to turn out. It could turn into a wrestling match or a boxing match. That has yet to be seen. I think you’ll see a lot of everything in this one. That’s the way it is with everybody in this industry now, especially at the high level. Everyone is three-dimensional now. You never know how it’s going to go until you get in there and start mixing it up.

Sherk knows Edgar is a talented, well-versed fighter and he would be stupid to look past him. Check out some of his training videos from this training camp. The guy is a fucking machine. As for a gameplan, he’ll stand and trade with Edgar which should be pretty good and he’ll take him down when the opportunity arises. Sherk should dominate this kid in all areas and win a unanimous decision.

by dropkick101 on May 18, 2009 4:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I literally saw Sean Sherk tell a guy he “had better things to do” than sign an autograph at the UFC 90 weigh-in’s. he only cares about fans when the cameras are on. Let’s hope him and Hughes lose this saturday.

by TheAlphaNerd on May 18, 2009 4:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m rooting for Frankie here too.

I love me some Sexyama!

by pud333 on May 18, 2009 4:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Place a bet.

I poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on May 18, 2009 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Total bullshit

Must have been caught at a bad moment, but Sherk is great to fans. He doesn’t know my brother from Adam and he my brother used to chat him up while he was working out. I’ve spoke to him on numerous occasions and he’s always very inviting and attentive to the conversation. I’ve been at his fights after he leaves the ring, at events he’s taken part in and seen him in public, and the event you describe is an anomaly. Saying someone only cares about fans when the cameras are on is a huge conclusion to jump to.

I poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on May 18, 2009 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I suppose it’s understandable that Sherk wants the crowd on his side. The whole steroid thing didn’t help him either. I never really cared for Sherk either way, and standing and trading isn’t going to make me like him any more. Sure, he can win some fans over, but for judgmental pricks like me, there’s no point. :)

I love me some Sexyama!

by pud333 on May 18, 2009 4:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

"Some speculated he did this because he figured he couldn't take BJ down, but I don't buy that at all"

In one of his post fight interviews this is exactly what he said. He knew he coulnt take BJ down in the first three rounds so his plan was to work his standup (which had been improving), and then go for the takedown in round 4.

Also the same gameplan employed by Jeremy Horn against Chuck Liddell. Hmmm……neither used with much sucess.

by nbs on May 18, 2009 5:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Do you have those quotes? From what I recall, he and his corner said that they planned on wrestling more in the 2nd half of the fight after BJ was fatigued a bit, but even that didn’t happen, as Sherk wasn’t going for TDs in Rd 3 either.

Not surprisingly, both Sherk and Nelson have stated that they’d use GSP’s gameplan in a rematch, with more wrestling and clinching from the outset, because even failed TD attempts tire out Penn more than just sitting there and boxing with BJ (especially when you’ve got such a short reach like Sherk does).

by Hardcharger on May 18, 2009 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sounds like a case of Gurgelitis.

by brad23 on May 18, 2009 5:40 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Rec

Keep firing Assholes!

This is a dream competition for me. I drink as much coffee as I want, and eventually I hallucinate.

by Ubernoober on May 18, 2009 5:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Laughs

Except that he won against a striker when last employing that strategy.

I poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on May 18, 2009 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tyson Griffin is a striker?

"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR

by Rundownloser on May 18, 2009 7:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Seriously?

He boxes predominantly, mixing in some very hard leg kicks. He’s never been finished. His striking is clean. Because a guy can wrestle, or doesn’t finish with regularity, doesn’t exempt his fighting style. He TKO’d Bang and Faber.

I poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on May 18, 2009 8:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, I think he has better wrestling/grappling than striking. He’s very well rounded and more than competent at striking; however, suggesting that his specialty is striking (like saying he is a striker) isn’t accurate in my mind.

Additionally, although I haven’t seen his fight with Ludwig, beating Faber standing wasn’t an incredibly impressive accomplishment until about 2008.

"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito on Belfort at Affliction:DOR

by Rundownloser on May 18, 2009 8:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

At the risk of repeating myself, if you can bang with Bang, you can bang.

by subo on May 18, 2009 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The rest of this is really just picking hairs, but...

Faber has lost twice in his career. That was his only loss, at all, until the Brown fight. So…. ummmmmmmm…

I poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on May 19, 2009 12:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, so Sherk by superior wrestling? Anyone?

by subo on May 18, 2009 5:42 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Sherk by whatever he wants

Which is not to say Edgar is a pushover, but that Sherk is a killer. Not following the argument, really. Frankie is a decision machine and recently lost one of them to a superior wrestler that also smacked him around. You think Sherk hasn’t watched tape of the Maynard fight? Sean will mix it up and dominate, likely en route to a lopsided UD.

I poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on May 18, 2009 6:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not to change the subject, but I think in a year Maynard takes Sherk.

by TheAlphaNerd on May 18, 2009 7:09 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Even today that would be a sweet fight to watch, but you’d have to assume that Sherk starts falling off and Maynard keeps improving (as in both, not one or the other).

I poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on May 18, 2009 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs