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Thiago Tavares vs. Spencer Fisher Added to UFC: Rio

Brazilian submission ace Thiago Tavares will fight on his home soil against UFC veteran Spencer Fisher in Brazil. The pair meets in a lightweight contest on the UFC: Rio card according to PVT. UFC: Rio takes place Aug. 27th at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro and will feature a Middleweight title main event between Anderson Silva and Yushin Okami.

Thiago Tavares talks to PVT:(translated by BE's own Tom Mendes)
"I still can't believe the news. I felt like crying, of shouting. It seemed impossible for me to fight in Brazil. I had no idea I would fight [in Rio], and I still can't believe it."

"[Fisher] is very tough. He's a student of Pat Miletich, he trains with Matt Hughes and Robbie Lawler, he's a southpaw, good in boxing and kickboxing. He has submitted Thiago Pitbull and has a decision loss to Frankie Edgar, the champion of the weight class. So I know it will be tough, but I will be well prepared, in the best conditions of my life. They gave someone tough for me to fight in my country, I know of my responsibilities. The war will be in Brazilian territory and I will do all that I can to represent."
Thiago Tavares (15-4-1)
Loss Shane Roller - KO (Punches) UFC Versus 3
Win Pat Audinwood - Submission (Guillotine Choke) UFC 119
Draw Nik Lentz - Draw UFC FN 20
Spencer "The King" Fisher (24-7)
Loss Ross Pearson - Decision (Unanimous) UFC 127
Win Curt Warburton - Decision (Unanimous) UFC 120
Loss Dennis Siver - Decision (Unanimous) TUF 11 Finale UFC
Aug 27th, live on Pay-per-view from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil:
Anderson Silva vs. Yushin Okami
Mauricio Rua vs. Forrest Griffin
Edson Barboza vs. Takanori Gomi
Thiago Tavares vs. Spencer Fisher

UFC: Rio coverage

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This would be the coolest UFC event to go to. I hope they can capture the feeling of being there on the broadcast, but they don’t usually do a very good job of that, so they probably won’t. I really with they would employ some unconventional camera technology to do it through.

by dribblebib on Apr 16, 2011 12:28 PM EDT reply actions  

Would be nice if they could give you a feel for where they go when they go to all these new places....

but your right they don’t it always just feels like another UFC event…

I’m not resting until I’m officially Anderson Silva status.- Jon "Bones" Jones

by AfroSamurai on Apr 16, 2011 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions  

Spencer FIsher was one of the more exciting fighters,

when the UFC’s lightweight division was pretty boring. His flying knee KO over Matt Wiman was a thing of beauty. As a long time fan, I hope he can get back to his winning ways, although his gym is pretty schwag, and these fights seem heavily favored towards the Brazilians.

by nitecastle on Apr 16, 2011 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions  

Must be the lighting

looks like he’s rockin a gnarly unibrow

If you wanna throw down in fisticuffs, fine! I've got Jack Johnson and Tom O'Leary waitin' for ya...right here!

by ODBasyoucansee on Apr 16, 2011 12:35 PM EDT reply actions  

The unibrow is legit.

".He still has a ground game that seems heavily dependent on lying still and hoping that his opponent won't notice his very kimura-able arm..."

by dancingChicken on Apr 16, 2011 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions  

I felt bad for Tavares.

His last fight was total domination, then Roller lands one good punch and it’s all over.

Learn JiuJitsu, it's fun.

by RolloTomasi on Apr 16, 2011 12:42 PM EDT reply actions  

I wonder about fights like that

I always wonder how MMA fans view something like that. The same went with Todd Duffee vs Mike Russow. Is Shane Roller a better striker than Thiago Tavares because he KO’d him? Some people say that “so and so looked good up until he got finished” is irrelevant, so is it irrelevant in the case of Tavares vs Roller?

Check out the C&D Channel on YouTube for MMA reviews, predictions, analysis, and other MMA related content.

by chrisbboy82 on Apr 16, 2011 1:50 PM EDT up reply actions  

No he isn't.

Shane Roller knocked out Thiago Tavares, Shane Roller is a better striker than Thiago Tavares.

Thiago has pretty clean striking technique (although he is pretty stiff), but zero head movement, predictable combos, almost non existent use of angles, and a propensity to drop his hands.

Roller has learned something which is much harder to teach than good pad technique, and that is to loosen up, have a keen eye, and seize the opportunity when it comes. Thiago has worked so hard on his striking technique that he was fighting like he had to show everyone how good his technique looked, Roller went out there to inflict harm. That was the difference, and that is what differentiates decent strikers from good ones.

http://www.headkicklegend.com/

"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates

by ElliotMatheny on Apr 16, 2011 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions  

Counter argument?

Styles make fights, perhaps? I’m just not comfortable with saying that Tavares is a better striker than Roller. Striking is much much more than aesthetic, clean looking technique.

http://www.headkicklegend.com/

"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates

by ElliotMatheny on Apr 16, 2011 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions  

I don’t think that it’s as simple as Roller was looking to inflict harm and Tavares was not. Simply put, Tavares was throwing strikes at Roller in the first round, and they did damage to him. To say that one fighter was trying to inflict harm (Roller) and one fighter was just trying to showoff technique (Tavares) honestly does not make sense to me as Tavares was connecting with his strikes, but they just did not manage to finish off Roller. I can say the same for the Duffee vs Russow fight in that I do believe that Duffee was trying to finish Russow, it’s just that he wasn’t able to, but I don’t believe that Duffee was just trying to show off his boxing technique. The same goes for Tavares.

Check out the C&D Channel on YouTube for MMA reviews, predictions, analysis, and other MMA related content.

by chrisbboy82 on Apr 17, 2011 2:26 AM EDT up reply actions  

That's a fair point.

If that’s the case, then I think that just further underscores the gap between Roller and Tavares as strikers. Thiago was really really stiff. And he did nothing to change his approach, make himself unpredictable, anything that truly good strikers do instinctively.

And as mentioned below, Thiago always pulled back in a straight line with his chin in the air.

http://www.headkicklegend.com/

"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates

by ElliotMatheny on Apr 17, 2011 2:55 AM EDT up reply actions  

He loosened up by the 2'nd round.

Just look at his shoulders.

http://www.headkicklegend.com/

"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates

by ElliotMatheny on Apr 18, 2011 1:27 AM EDT up reply actions  

Tavares suffered from a classic case of good offense but lacking defense. Every time Roller charged forward, Tavares retreated in a straight line, instead of circling out.

Yeah, he looked good and if he (T)KO’d Shane Roller in the first when he was rocked then we’d be saying Tavares was a better striker… but he didn’t.

Roller set up his rocket of a right hand well, fishing with left hooks while stepping across to dissuade Tavares from circling right and then stepping in with a hell of a straight right. Tavares didn’t respect the power of Shane, didn’t stay light on his feet and maintain a safe range, and got caught.

by Pyrgz Krum on Apr 16, 2011 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions   2 recs

I really don't think it was as bad as everyone is making it out to be.

Yeah, Tavares won the 1st round but Roller was scoring occasionally. If you can, go back and watch the 1st round with the sound off; it is not nearly as lopsided as everyone is making out to be. I really think Rogan’s derision of Roller’s stand-up mechanics really paints the fight in an inaccurate light.

by KAN0 on Apr 16, 2011 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions  

You'll see what he needs to work on

After he gets run over by Melvin Guillard

Let the fighters fight, let the referees ref, but dear God, don't let the judges judge.

by halitosis on Apr 17, 2011 10:19 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions  

Big Nog

was rumored to be on it, hopefully they’re still thinking of having him on the card.

not always will those who dumps on you be your enemies
and not always will those who take you out of shit be your friends

by Orcus on Apr 16, 2011 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions  

Royce a big enough name for you?

Royce Gracie VS Matt Hughes II rumored for UFC Rio.

Learn JiuJitsu, it's fun.

by RolloTomasi on Apr 16, 2011 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions  

aaah!

Really? What do they think Royce is gonna do this time??

by verloc on Apr 16, 2011 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions  

I think Tiequan Zhang is the only guy on the current UFC roster that Royce can beat.

Matt Brown would shitkick Royce.

"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe

by pdl on Apr 16, 2011 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions  

Hughes shitkicked Royce last time without a single ounce of trouble.

he would easily do it again. Every fighter on the UFC roster above 155 lbs would wreck him. Njokuani would knock him out. Since invention of the unified rules, Royce has beaten Akebono and nobody else. In a decade, that’s his only win.

He’s nonathletic and not an exceptional BJJ practitioner. Demian Maia would brutalize him standing and Dan Hardy could control and GNP him within guard. Rolando Perez would beat him if they scheduled that fight tomorrow.

"Someone is WRONG on the internet. What do you want me to do? LEAVE? Then they'll keep being wrong!"
-Randall Munroe

by pdl on Apr 16, 2011 6:30 PM EDT up reply actions  

not really to be honest.

put wandy, aldo. or belfort. Preferably belfort fighting a guy like nate, chael or maybe sexyama

by wildbronco on Apr 16, 2011 5:49 PM EDT up reply actions  

I really like Belfort/ Bisping.

http://www.headkicklegend.com/

"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates

by ElliotMatheny on Apr 16, 2011 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions  

hahah good choice

would be the perfect candidate to put that bitch to sleep :D

by wildbronco on Apr 16, 2011 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions  

I think it’s a very interesting striking style clash. Volume vs. power, quantity vs. quality.

http://www.headkicklegend.com/

"I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler."
-Socrates

by ElliotMatheny on Apr 17, 2011 2:57 AM EDT up reply actions  

you can't throw all the big names on one card

or you end up with cards where Rich Franklin is the main event.

by dbcb on Apr 16, 2011 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions  

Loser gets cut

"If I had a dollar for every brain you don't have, I'd have one dollar." - Squidward Tentacles

by SSreporters on Apr 16, 2011 1:17 PM EDT reply actions  

Why?

Learn JiuJitsu, it's fun.

by RolloTomasi on Apr 16, 2011 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions  

Because it’s at 155, where if you lose two straight you’re almost definitely done, purely because of the depth since the WEC merged. Also because neither of them have a name to save them, and will likely never be bigger contenders than they currently are.

"Rather than love, than money, than faith, than fame, than fairness... give me truth."
Chris McCandless A.K.A. Alexander Supertramp
1968-1992

by T.C. Engel on Apr 16, 2011 7:33 PM EDT up reply actions  

I think it's a possibility.

The UFC’s most crowed division; both guys are ranked in the bottom half of the division; with a loss it would be 2 in a row for either guy. It is cutthroat at LW right now.

by KAN0 on Apr 16, 2011 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions  

Ok, now add Minotauro, Minotouro and Vitor

And this is the most awesome card ever.

But I’m still sad I won’t see Wandy fighting live. :-(

by Henrique on Apr 16, 2011 1:22 PM EDT reply actions  

The matchups for those fights

Minotauro vs Roy Nelson

Minotouro vs Rich Franklin

Vitor vs Alan Blecher

by Henrique on Apr 16, 2011 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions  

This is gonna be the best card of the year

on paper

"If I wanted to spend a half hour between two hairy legs I'd go to your mother's house." -Don Frye

by mburtoni on Apr 16, 2011 1:24 PM EDT reply actions  

On paper=Not good

Whenever a card is “stacked” it turns out as a great disappointment. I hope I’m wrong

Let the fighters fight, let the referees ref, but dear God, don't let the judges judge.

by halitosis on Apr 16, 2011 1:39 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions  

Ok, If I Vitor doesnt get put on this card!?

I will be so F***ing Pissed! Dude wants more then anything to fight in Rio, give him anyone he dont give a shit he just wants to fight.

Jules: Normally, both your asses would be dead as fucking fried chicken, but you happen to pull this shit while I'm in a transitional period so I don't wanna kill you, I wanna help you. But I can't give you this case, it don't belong to me. Besides, I've already been through too much shit this morning over this case to hand it over to your dumb ass.

by RJshock 305 on Apr 16, 2011 2:28 PM EDT reply actions  

Its VITOR BELFORT!

It should be a crime if he cant get on this card! It would be like having a UFC in Hilo and not putting BJ Penn on the card.

Jules: Normally, both your asses would be dead as fucking fried chicken, but you happen to pull this shit while I'm in a transitional period so I don't wanna kill you, I wanna help you. But I can't give you this case, it don't belong to me. Besides, I've already been through too much shit this morning over this case to hand it over to your dumb ass.

by RJshock 305 on Apr 16, 2011 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions  

Why should Vitor be one of them

He deserves the fight and his miniature is already on the card

Let the fighters fight, let the referees ref, but dear God, don't let the judges judge.

by halitosis on Apr 16, 2011 2:38 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions  

Loser leaves town match?

by J smooth 420 on Apr 16, 2011 3:03 PM EDT reply actions  

Solid Scrap

If Tavares shows up and uses his jiu-jitsu, he should take this one.

by KAN0 on Apr 16, 2011 4:32 PM EDT reply actions  

UFC site has also announced Cane vs Nedkov for this card.

by rabrown on Apr 17, 2011 3:36 AM EDT reply actions  

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