It's Time for a Rematch Between Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Frank Mir
by Michael Rome on Sep 5, 2009 4:00 PM EDT
70 comments
Frank Mir is rumored to be fighting Cheick Kongo in December in a fight that almost nobody cares about. It's a decent heavyweight fight, but there's a much better fight just begging to be made, and it's a rematch from UFC 92.
A huge cloud hangs over the first Mir vs. Nogueira fight. Nogueira had a torn up knee and was severely weakened by staph infection. At the same time, Mir put out his back weeks earlier, a fact often overlooked by those looking to excuse Nogueira's performance. Still, not all injuries are created equal, and the Nogueira we saw looked like a broken down shell of his former self.
Frank Mir says it was the same Nogueira that fought Couture, but I think a simple viewing of his fight with Couture suggests otherwise to all by the most oblivious viewer. He moved at the pace of a senior citizen against Mir, never really threw any punches, and failed to put together any combinations at all. I think Mir is well aware of this.
Mir's recent comments regarding Nogueira are certainly calculated. He is aiming to talk his way into a big fight, and I think he will be successful. Nogueira's been listening to these interviews, and according to Ed Soares, he's none too pleased:
Rodrigo just got off the phone with me, and we were talking about it...Nogueira feels he is not making excuses...he's giving the reason he performed the way he did back in December.
There's a big difference between making excuses and giving the reason why. And just to prove that Nogueira is not making excuses, he wants his next fight to be against Mir, and he wants to fight him in December.
A rematch has to happen to answer all the questions. Both fighters want a rematch, fans will be very interested in a rematch, and from a business perspective, the fight makes a ton of sense. If Nogueira wins, he can ride into a title match on a huge wave of momentum. If Mir knocks him off again, he's on his way to a rubber match with Lesnar. Either way, the UFC wins.
If Nogueira beats Mir and Lesnar beats Carwin, Lesnar vs. Nogueira will be a monstrous fight in 2010. With a "UFC Primetime" special to hype the fight and highlight the difference between the two men, it could be one of the most anticipated fights in UFC history.
I considered the argument that it's best to hold this fight off, because if Nogueira wins the title you have a natural first title defense against Mir. The argument makes sense, but it assumes too many things. It assumes Nogueira wins the title, and assumes Mir doesn't get knocked out by Cheick Kongo in the meantime, taking him out of contention.
This is a hot fight right now, and would be a strong semi main event under Penn-Sanchez.
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There’s a big difference between making excuses and giving the reason why.
Huh?
by Dark Tower on Sep 5, 2009 4:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
An excuse is an attempt to dismiss the loss; a reason is simply an explanation. For example, Maia explained his loss (poor, predictable striking), but never made excuses or try to rewrite it.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by themachiavellian on Sep 5, 2009 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah, he also meant in the way the information came out. He didn’t make excuses after the fight, he only said Mir was the better athelet that night and left it at that. Then Dana mentioned it to a reporter, and after the Couture fight a reporter asked Nog and that’s when he confirmed it. He was only answering the question, he didn’t want to lie. but let’s be real, he was never coming out with the info in the first place…
by orcus on Sep 5, 2009 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
An excuse is designed to remove blame for the person seemingly at fault, a reason is designed to explain the mechanisms that lead to an outcome. So by that, as long as the person isn’t trying to remove fault from themselves, it’s not an excuse. Nog accepted the fact that he agreed to take the fight, and he never said anything like “I would have won if.” To me, this makes it a legitimate explanation for a loss, and not an excuse
by Shaun32887 on Sep 5, 2009 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
its easy to explain
allow me to be frank..literally and metaphorically ( oh the word play)
staph infection and knee blow out : exscuse
i was in an accident years ago that i claimed to have gotten over more times than ive blinked in my life time: reason why
"he's the best punchy face man in the buisness"
by blubber_guard on Sep 5, 2009 7:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
personally, i’d love to see this rematch, especially if Mir can pull off the win with Kongo. plus it might shut Mir up for good.
by pop_gun_war on Sep 5, 2009 4:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
There’s no chance of that.
Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.
by jemaleddin on Sep 5, 2009 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
If Lesnar got a rematch, Big Nog deserves one too.
"He built his whole reputation (as a) waffle house chef. They've been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes." - Don Frye on Fedor Emelianenko
by Deo Wade on Sep 5, 2009 4:21 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
This is a lot more of Pride not getting no love
I dont know about everyone else but I saw a hell of a fight between Couture/Nog and everyone I was with said that was one of the best UFC fights they had seen in a while. But I’ll I keep hearing online is how it was a match between “2 old men” and it just amazes me.
If Randy Couture had one that I dont think people would be saying that bs but he didnt.
People always are trying to discredit any Pride stars. When Shogun beat Chuck it was because Chuck sucked. When Nog beat Couture it was a battle of old men, and if Cro Cop beats Dos Santos people will try to discredit that too.
I say let the rematch happen. People keep telling me how Frank Mir has the incredible accuracy in his striking now. Well since hits Motorcycle accident I have seen one match with decent striking and that was against Nog, a bad Nog.
Let’s do it. Rematch. Rematch. Rematch.
by bigdmmafan on Sep 5, 2009 4:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
truth
I actually read a comment that called the Nog/Couture fight “a fight under water”… that’s gotta be biased opinion.
by orcus on Sep 5, 2009 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
its one of those, “everyone can can an opinion, but yours is wrong” deals. the randy v. nog fight was epic. its really hard to see it any other way.
in any event, mir v. nog should happen asap. people dont care about kongo v. mir and like fagan posted, it creates multiple interesting match ups no matter the victor.
by sadface on Sep 5, 2009 4:35 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
rome
agreed 100%-scrap the kongo fight all together and put this as a replacement for page/shad or on the penn/sanchez card. either way this is a very hot fight and will spark alot of debate and interest. kongo can fight winner of dos santos/cro-cop. it’s all good.
by bdw on Sep 5, 2009 4:33 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Do the rematch and then
Sign Yvel and do Yvel – Kongo 2.
by bigdmmafan on Sep 5, 2009 4:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think this is a little strong.
Rome, I’m not totally up on your rooting interests, but this almost comes across as a thinly veiled Nogeria fan piece.
1. Make excuses for Nog’s loss to MIr.
2. Assume Nog can sell a fight in a meaningful way.
3. Assumes Nog beats Mir.
At the end of the day if Mir beats Nog again then its a bad for the UFC. Nog gets two fights away from being a credible challenger and no one would be ready for the Mir rematch. The better plan is to save Nog and set up an easy route to a Lensnar Nog match. The Mir Nog match just isn’t going anywhere,
by SES 84 on Sep 5, 2009 5:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Make excuses for Nog’s loss to MIr.
You don’t think staph infection & a blown knee are acceptable reasons for losing?
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by themachiavellian on Sep 5, 2009 5:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They are acceptable reasons to delay the fight
But once you take the fight YOU win it or YOU lose it. Nothing else needs to be said.
Nog’s done this before in PRIDE and its the only thing negative about him I’ve ever encountered. Him and Timmeh did it and its nauseating. I know, right? How could I put the two in the same sentence? Nog’s team disseminates the info while Tim did it himself during the post-fight. That’s the difference, but the same result pulled off by one guy who understands the fan-psych politics of the sport and one who doesn’t.
That said, I’d love to see Nog/Mir II simply cause it’ll be good! Nog is still one of my heroes and I think he takes it.
by asa on Sep 5, 2009 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
which fight in Pride did not make an excuse for losing?
by orcus on Sep 5, 2009 7:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
oops, which fight in pride did NOG make an excuse for losing?
damn keyboard!
by orcus on Sep 5, 2009 7:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
he's not assuming Nog will win the rematch if there is one
He gave both scenarios to if Nog wins, or if Mir wins. He’s also making an obvious observation for a much different Nog in the Couture fight from the Mir fight.
I just don’t get why anyone would be against this fight (with the exception of Kongo fans), it will either prove Nog never has a chance and Mir is definitely the better athlete, or it will prove the staph was in fact an issue and Nog is the better athlete. Simply put, if Mir wins we Nog fans don’t have a case, so to mimic Nick Diaz; "don’t be scared hommie :P
BTW, I think Nog won many fans on his last fight, so I think another fight between the two will sell itself…
by orcus on Sep 5, 2009 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m just pointing out that this article has a veneer of objectivity. I also think that if Mir wins then the matchup was a mistake.
by SES 84 on Sep 5, 2009 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
well, if Mir wins a rematch, than he’s shutting all the doubters such as myself, that would not be a mistake on his part.
by orcus on Sep 5, 2009 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is a not so thinly veiled refusal to read what I wrote.
I noted injuries for both guys going in. Noted the obvious deficiencies in Nog’s performance. And said that if MIr wins you work toward a third match with Lesnar, which a bunch of internet nerds would complain about while it does over a million buys again. Either outcome is good for the UFC.
For what it’s worth I picked Randy over Nog.
by Michael Rome on Sep 5, 2009 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
There was a line about Mir’s back in a 2 paragraph section discussing how Nog didn’t look himself. Now I do agree with you, but I still think this match making is contingent on a presumption of Nog winning.
Sure any win for Mir will build him towards a title shot, but is this the most productive one? Would Mir deserve an immediate title shot? Sure Mir might get his rematch, but then we will be several fights away at best from a Nog Lesnar bout.
Granted the Kongo-Mir fight is fairly unappealing and I don’t really see how that moves us to a Mir rematch either, but If I was Joe Silva, i’d rather guarantee a Nog title fight and build Mir up slowly.
I stand by my position that Mir-Nog is only good matchmaking if Nog wins.
by SES 84 on Sep 5, 2009 5:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You’re saying they couldn’t sell a Lesnar/Mir rubber match to the casual fan? And amongst hardcore fans, I’d imagine most either love Frank, and would therefore want to see him get another shot, or hate him, and therefore want to tune in to see if Brock can bloody him up again.
As for whether he deserves a shot… if he beats the Nog we saw against Randy, why not? Does Cain deserve a shot if he beats Ben Rothwell? And assuming Dos Santos beats Cro Cop, I’d really like to see him get another fight in before they throw him in with Brock. He’s young and improving and the extra fight will only help him (or reveal him as the next Gonzaga).
by kid_eh on Sep 5, 2009 7:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe
But you’d kill the nog-lesnar matchup.
I think even the casual fan might want another win out of Mir. In any case if the Mir Lesnar rematch is valuable then why wasted Mir. Why not just have him fight a bum like Kongo and then have the rematch lined up.
by SES 84 on Sep 5, 2009 9:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nope, Mir is going to get KO by kongo, don’t take this away from me.
You don't look like a Tanaka.
by spectaa on Sep 5, 2009 5:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Kongo could have the winner of Cigano/Cro cop!
by orcus on Sep 5, 2009 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So we can look forward to Cigano vs. Kongo
"He built his whole reputation (as a) waffle house chef. They've been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes." - Don Frye on Fedor Emelianenko
by Deo Wade on Sep 5, 2009 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Kongo has proven that he's a solid mid level heavyweight.
There’s not really anyone else that will match up well. They won’t feed Velasquez to him yet, and the only other really viable opponent is Gonzaga.
"He built his whole reputation (as a) waffle house chef. They've been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes." - Don Frye on Fedor Emelianenko
by Deo Wade on Sep 5, 2009 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Velasquez has already fought & beaten Kongo at 99…
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by themachiavellian on Sep 5, 2009 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I meant to say that they wouldn't feed Cain Velasquez to Cigano. My bad.
I was saying that Kongo would be a good step up in comp for Cigano.
"He built his whole reputation (as a) waffle house chef. They've been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes." - Don Frye on Fedor Emelianenko
by Deo Wade on Sep 5, 2009 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd love to see Gonzaga vs Kongo
king of the UFC gatekeepers
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Sep 5, 2009 6:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'd love to see that one too.
I think Gonzaga might take that one though.
"He built his whole reputation (as a) waffle house chef. They've been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes." - Don Frye on Fedor Emelianenko
by Deo Wade on Sep 5, 2009 7:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think Gonzaga is more then a gatekeeper
fightlockdown.com
by The Legend on Sep 5, 2009 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed. Gonzaga would give Brock some problems. He’s probably the only other guy besides Carwin and Nogueira who can actually stand a great chance against him.
http://twitter.com/FlyByKnite
by FlyByKnight on Sep 5, 2009 7:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gonzaga needs 2 more convincing wins.
When he gets those, I’ll call him a contender again. Also I don’t think Nog has anything for Brock because Lesnar isn’t another Bob Sapp.
"He built his whole reputation (as a) waffle house chef. They've been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes." - Don Frye on Fedor Emelianenko
by Deo Wade on Sep 5, 2009 7:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gonzaga quits mentally. When he couldn’t take down Randy, or when Werdum caught his leg, his performance plummeted. How long until Brock would break him?
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by themachiavellian on Sep 5, 2009 7:47 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gonzaga quit against Werdum. I don’t think he quit against Couture as much as Couture just looked the best we have ever seen him. That’s all it was. Gonzaga was doing some good things in the Couture fight up until he busted his nose on the slam. I think he broke Randy’s arm with a kick late in the fight that could have changed the outcome had Randy not responded so damn well. I just think Gonzaga could pose some problems for Brock. He’s a guy with very good size who has great stand-up and a very good ground game. If Gonzaga could ever control the mental part of the game, which I think he’s sorting out, then he’ll be very dangerous in the future.
http://twitter.com/FlyByKnite
by FlyByKnight on Sep 5, 2009 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This kick.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by themachiavellian on Sep 6, 2009 1:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Mmm he is at the gate and never move really far away from it though, a lot like kongo. With his abilities he could be more, of course.
You don't look like a Tanaka.
by spectaa on Sep 5, 2009 7:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It would be good to re-match them, but I don’t think the end outcome would be all that different.
Is Nog a better fighter than Mir, yes I think so, I think most of the top 10 light heavyweights would have a chance to be Mir let alone heavyweight. But just because fighter A is better overall that fighter B when comparing opponents doesn’t mean that A can beat B.
In this case as Fedor stated in his strategy for Nog, Nog doesn’t do well against speed and strength. Couture isn’t fast or strong and I think this is why he didn’t have an answer for Nog. Mir however is both strong and fast, he isn’t technically better than Nog, but with these attributes in a 3 round fight Mir would win most of the time in my opinion.
For me that’s why I don’t think this fight is a must, there are better fights out there for Nog that he would be more competitive in.
by Donk696 on Sep 5, 2009 5:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
strong and fast?
Man am I missing these Mir fights or what?
I’m not trying to discredit Mir either but I just dont see Strong and Fast when I see Mir. If you were describing Lesnar, bam. Spot on but Mir?
Now I could be full of sh@t and Mir could beat Nog again but I havent seen fast and strong in Mir’s fights. If you referring to the Nog fight I think that was more Nog was slow more the Mir was fast.
by bigdmmafan on Sep 5, 2009 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well his strength is something that has always been there. But that’s not the case for his speed.
In his first few fights he was explosive and quick, but after his accident he was slow and plodding. Getting his quickness back has been very slow, and yes if you just look at the Cruz, Vera and other fights when he wasn’t devoted, he looked a slow bag of shit. But since then he has become lighter on his feet and has looked quicker and quicker, not what he once was, but he has come a long way in my opinion.
by Donk696 on Sep 5, 2009 5:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
are you using an injury example to clear Mir but not take in to account of another injury when addressing Nog???
by orcus on Sep 5, 2009 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
That’s FanBoy Double Standard 101. Did you not go to that seminar?
http://twitter.com/FlyByKnite
by FlyByKnight on Sep 5, 2009 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
LOL, I went yesterday, but I didn’t take any notes :P
by orcus on Sep 5, 2009 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Should have went to the Thursday seminar. It was amazing. The guest speaker was Joe Morgan.
http://twitter.com/FlyByKnite
by FlyByKnight on Sep 5, 2009 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not at all, because i’m saying Mir’s speed and strength now will beat Nog whether Nog is injured or not.
In Nog vs Fedor 3, Nog didn’t hit Fedor one time (barely) in the entire first 10 minute round.
I think Nog performance would have been different against alot of fighters because of his injuries, but I don’t include Mir in that. If say he fought Kongo and lost say – hypothetically – then I would say Nog would beat him in a re-match. Say hypothetically if Nog was injured in one of the fights against Fedor, I would argue that the injury wouldn’t make a difference in the outcome of the fight because of Fedor’s strength and speed would negate anything Nog could offer him.
I would only clear a fighter of a set of performances on a case by case basis. I didn’t clear Mir against his fights against Marcio Cruz or Vera because I think they would beat him again. I’m considering the case of Nog here because I don’t think Nog’s injury would make a difference in the outcome of the fight. But if it was five rounds say, I would pick Nog based on the fact that Nog’s cardio is a decisive factor in him coming back from the dead and beating his opponents.
by Donk696 on Sep 5, 2009 5:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
you should watch that Fedor fight again, Nog got dominated but it’s not like he didn’t put up a fight. You are using a certainty (personal) as to why they shouldn’t fight again, I was certain Wandy would beat Page for the third time and look what happened. There is only one way to find out what is going to happen in a fight, and that is to have the fight in the first place. I am certain Nog would beat Mir in a rematch and staph free, certain. But, I could be very, very wrong… I’d still like to see the fight though to see what really happens in reality.
you also said:
It would be good to re-match them, but I don’t think the end outcome would be all that different.
how can Nog win a decision in a five rounder if he get’s TKO’d before the third?
by orcus on Sep 5, 2009 6:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m saying that I think Nog would have a better chance to win if it were a longer time period. It’s just hypothetical.
I agree with you that Nog put up a fight in his and Fedor’s third fight, but only in the last 2 minutes. In the first ten Nog barely hit him one single time, which is what I said in my post. I was using the first ten minutes as an example of how badly Nog does against speed. Not for trying to say how badly he got dominated.
I remember I think Nog once said something about a logo they had in BTT gym, it was something like that given enough time we will always get the submission. I was just using a five round fight as an example that I think Nog’s chances of winning would be greater than Mir’s if the time was extended. People used to say Nog could beat anyone if there was no time limits. Mir has never been pushed deep into fights and this is why I was using the hypothetical case of longer time limits to invoke that point.
But the point I was trying to make in my last post was that I wasn’t clearing Mir because of his injury because I think that he would still lose to Cruz and Vera today, and that the initial point I was trying to make is that Nog is poor against speed. Which is obvious because that’s the weeknesses that Fedor himself said that Nogueira has…
by Donk696 on Sep 5, 2009 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
fair enough
But this talk about the longer the fight go the more likely a bjj guy will finish is just a bjj apologist talking point, one of which even Mir uses (he said that if there was no time limit in a Nog vs Fedor fight, Nog will finish the fight, which I don’t agree with but it is what it is).
by orcus on Sep 5, 2009 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t know if it’s apologist, but I am a fan of fighting. I like the idea of no time limits and soccer kicks and stomps to see who’s best. The idea of time limits and rules just waters down the fight. But maybe i’m old school.
Imagine Shogun and Machida with stomps and soccer kicks. That would be awesome.
by Donk696 on Sep 5, 2009 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m all for soccer kicks and stomps, but I can’t agree with the time limit. This is a sport in the end of the day, and you have to remember fights that went on and on (ie Royce vs Shamrock II), it’s very dull and just not worth it.
by orcus on Sep 5, 2009 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They did go on and on, but the skill level is better today so I think it wouldn’t drag on in general.
I was just saying that it’s not BJJ apologist, it’s cardio apologist. Endurance is a real skill to draw on, but some prefer sprints to marathons. I think saying that fighter A is better than fighter B without time limits (or a large time limit like 5 rounds) means more than fighter A is better than fighter B over 3 rounds.
I don’t think Nog could beat Mir in 3, but in five yeah I think he would.
by Donk696 on Sep 5, 2009 6:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
What I’m saying is that the people that usually want a no-time limit rule in general are bjj athletes, I never heard an athlete without a strong bjj base wanting that rule implemented (I’d like to make it clear that it’s not all bjj athletes, in fact only a very small portion of them wants this rule). This is the reason Rorion Gracie left the UFC, because he didn’t like the new rules, weight classes and time limits implemented.
by orcus on Sep 5, 2009 6:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Man, I’m not in the habit of agreeing with Rome, but I gotta hand it to him: RIGHT ON BROTHA.
Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.
by jemaleddin on Sep 5, 2009 7:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The only thing it’s time for is for Nog and his apologist to stop the excuses and give Mir his props for destorying him.
Also I love the Mir vs. Kongo fight it’s very interesting because it gives both guys a chance to work on some of their weaknesses and prove that they deserve a shot for the belt sometime next year.
by Raker on Sep 5, 2009 8:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, screw the Kongo match. Mir/Nog 2 already has tonnes of heat, and I think the UFC should strike while the iron is hot. I don’t want to have to wait years (eg: Hughes / Serra) after much of the hype has died down. Life is pretty unpredictable, and anything can happen (eg: injuries, delays, etc). So the fight should be done asap while the fighters are healthy.
I love me some Sexyama!
by pud333 on Sep 5, 2009 8:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
pulling a "carwin velazquez"
help refresh my memory…. is carwin/velazquez the first time in recent history where the UFC cancelled an already-scheduled matchup not because of an injury, but just because they realized something even more marketable should be done?
as a fan i’d prefer to see mir/nog 2 over mir/kongo. but at the same time i’d be concerned if the UFC started cancelling matchups on a whim whenever they think of something better. depending on how it’s done, i don’t think it’s a great way to treat fighters.
by GregS123 on Sep 5, 2009 8:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
this is a good point
I understand that it’s not necessarily a good long-term strategy to often cancel scheduled match-ups in favor of more marketable fights. But in the big picture, the UFC has to be concerned about running out of even half-way legitimate contenders in……well, in all their divisions, now.
If Mir fights Kongo, and Kongo KO’s him, do we get a contender out of that? It seems like no, because Kongo will probably still be seen as a gate-keeper.
On the other hand, the winner of a potential Mir/Nogueira rematch would be seen as a legitimate contender. For those same reasons, I would prefer to see the loser of Cro Cop/Dos Santos fight Kongo, and the winner of CC/DS fight Gonzaga. Then it seems like you would get a contender out of the Gonzaga fight.
It’s going to be hard for Joe Silva to work match-ups effectively to avoid turning all the divisions into a dominant champion and then a mass of gatekeepers…
by Lauren J Darkbloom on Sep 5, 2009 10:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I guess I am in the category “almost nobody” because I much prefer seeing Mir fight Kongo than rematching Nogueira.
by GetItOn on Sep 7, 2009 11:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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