UFC 132: Chris Leben Is the Underdog to Wanderlei Silva
by Nick Thomas on Apr 20, 2011 4:51 PM EDT
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The odds opened up this week at Leben -180 vs. Silva +140 but have since reversed and settled in at:
Chris Leben +105 vs. Wanderlei Silva -145
Chris "The Crippler" Leben (25-7) [Num. 17]
Loss Brian Stann - TKO (Knee and Punches) UFC 125
Win Yoshihiro Akiyama -Submission (Triangle Choke) UFC 116
Win Aaron Simpson - TKO (Punches) TUF 11 Finale
Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva (33-10-1) [Num. 10]
Win Michael Bisping - Decision (Unanimous) UFC 110
Loss Rich Franklin - Decision (Unanimous) UFC 99
Loss Quinton Jackson - KO (Punch) UFC 92
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I’m pretty shocked anyone thinks Lebens zombie style will do anything but get him a beating against even the old, friendly English speaking version of ‘The Axe Murderer’.
Wand never had the punching technique, so has always relied on brute strength, which he doesn’t have any more. I’m pretty shocked Leben is the underdog to an old, over-the-hill Wand. Punching power? Leben > Wand. Chin? Leben > Wand.
by umbalata on Apr 20, 2011 6:58 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Sheikybaby>umbalata
"it's like i tell my ex-wife, i never drive faster than i can see, and besides it's all in the reflexes." -Jack Burton, Big trouble in little China
Been forever since we’ve seen Wandy and Leben looked fucking terrible against Stann. I still wouldn’t count Leben out in this, I think Wandy’s KO power is not as great as it once was even if he can land on Chris. Could be an ugly fight.
"Unless you can’t think of something intelligent to say, don’t reply and make the world as dumb as you are appearing to be." - mabel4life
by lowellthehammer on Apr 20, 2011 4:04 PM EDT reply actions
Wandy beat Bisping
Which is a really, really impressive thing to do. I believe the other members of that club are Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson.
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by Derek Suboticki on Apr 20, 2011 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions
He fought a smart fight there.
It was a good showing of strategy and how to win under the unified rules. Unfortunately, even in winning, I don’t see a lot of upward mobility in Wandy’s UFC career.
"Unless you can’t think of something intelligent to say, don’t reply and make the world as dumb as you are appearing to be." - mabel4life
by lowellthehammer on Apr 20, 2011 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions
I think
Wand doesn’t want to fight that much longer, but he wants to win, and maybe get a title shot.
by Roaringblood on Apr 20, 2011 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions
a good showing of strategy and how to win under the unified rules
You mean where he was inches away from soccer kicking the fuck out of Bisping’s head but pulled out at the last second?
by MMAussie on Apr 20, 2011 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
...
Yeah, actually. The one where he did very little in the beginning/middle of the rounds and then poured it on at the end to steal them, including the exchange that led to Bisping dropping and Wandy almost throwing a soccer kick.
"Unless you can’t think of something intelligent to say, don’t reply and make the world as dumb as you are appearing to be." - mabel4life
by lowellthehammer on Apr 20, 2011 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Haters gonna hate I suppose.
Wandy won that fight in every way, shape or form. Put that fight out in the streets with a crowd who know nothing of the unified rules and I guarantee everyone there agrees that Wandy won.
I can’t believe you’re accussing Wandy of all people of ‘playing the game’.
I watched a documentary a while back where sugar ray Leonard said he had his corner yell at him at the end of each round to fire off combinations and “steal” the round against Duran I think. (this was a while go so I might be a little off).
But anyways I remember thinking about this while watching wandy vs bisping and thinking how it was a great way to beat a backpedaling, round stealer at his own game.
by RoB_ex on Apr 20, 2011 7:37 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
How am I hating?
You gotta stop following me man. It’s getting weird. Didn’t realize your mancrush on Faber was that strong.
"Unless you can’t think of something intelligent to say, don’t reply and make the world as dumb as you are appearing to be." - mabel4life
by lowellthehammer on Apr 20, 2011 10:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Managers always say that about shitty performances. I’d take that with a grain of salt.
"Unless you can’t think of something intelligent to say, don’t reply and make the world as dumb as you are appearing to be." - mabel4life
by lowellthehammer on Apr 20, 2011 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions
He looked sick. I thought he looked sick before ever hearing it from his manager on the night of the fight in the bar.
I said to myself, “god he looks like shit”
by Roaringblood on Apr 20, 2011 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions
When doesn't Leben look like shit?
There’s a ton of reasons for that. Maybe he took training lightly, maybe his tendency to stick his chin out and let his opponent tee off is catching up to him, maybe he was drinking the night before, maybe the time after the Simpson/Akiyama fights wasn’t enough to recover. Maybe he really was sick. Who knows. Could be a million different reasons.
"Unless you can’t think of something intelligent to say, don’t reply and make the world as dumb as you are appearing to be." - mabel4life
by lowellthehammer on Apr 20, 2011 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions
His last two fights before this one?
Leben is a plodder, but he was on another level of plodding at the start of the fight.
It wasn’t cardio.. he just wasn’t reacting.
Stann is a killer though, I won’t take away from him, but I can see a sickness.
by Roaringblood on Apr 20, 2011 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions
This is the same Chris Leben who lost to Jason McDonald and Kalib Starnes. It shouldn’t be very shocking that he lost to Brian Stann.
In the clearing stands a boxer And a fighter by his trade And he carries the reminders Of ev'ry glove that layed him down Or cut him till he cried out In his anger and his shame "I am leaving, I am leaving" But the fighter still remains
That's not fair.
he’s a better fighter now.
by Roaringblood on Apr 20, 2011 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions
I dont buy that
Another 20 seconds and he loses a decision to Akiyama.
I’ll give him credit for his wins but he lost round 1 against Simpson and rounds 1 and 2 against Akiyama. It’s not like he dominated either guy from start to finish.
Chris Leben is no better now than he was when he first hit the scene. If anything, the fact that’s he’s getting very punchy makes him a worse fighter now than he’s ever been.
In the clearing stands a boxer And a fighter by his trade And he carries the reminders Of ev'ry glove that layed him down Or cut him till he cried out In his anger and his shame "I am leaving, I am leaving" But the fighter still remains
Let's keep in mind he took that fight with a 2 week turn around.
Guy’s a beast and I love having him in this sport.
he submitted akiyama…. how would he win with another 20 seconds? haha
by Roaringblood on Apr 20, 2011 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions
What the hell are you even talking about?
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by Richard Wade on Apr 20, 2011 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Jason McDonald and Kalib Starnes
AKA two of canadas finest. What’s your point?
by RoB_ex on Apr 20, 2011 7:42 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
Leben was also coming off another effing DUI.
Dude is, was, and likely will always be a headcase. At Least Wanderlei stays in the gym, trains hard, and keeps healthy. I’ll take a consistently training fighter over a drunken dude who hasn’t changed his game in 5 years, doesn’t work particularly hard, and is getting shitfaced in Hawaii.
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by pdl on Apr 20, 2011 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Yeah unfortunately, it seems just like Chris to win a couple big fights, look to be hitting a new gear, and then quickly start to piss it away again. When things start going too well, he’s lost. That’s a guy who just seems to have a bad self-script, and can’t stop playing it out. Stann looked really good though. He’s come a long way from the guy who won the WEC LHW belt.
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by Kwisatz Haderach on Apr 20, 2011 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Wandy is very shop worn and can’t take a shot like he used to. If Leben lands a bomb on him, that’s it.
In the clearing stands a boxer And a fighter by his trade And he carries the reminders Of ev'ry glove that layed him down Or cut him till he cried out In his anger and his shame "I am leaving, I am leaving" But the fighter still remains
And vice versa.
"Unless you can’t think of something intelligent to say, don’t reply and make the world as dumb as you are appearing to be." - mabel4life
by lowellthehammer on Apr 20, 2011 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions
^^^
My thoughts exactly. What do you think will happen when Leben touches Wandys chin? The guy, for all his perceived flaws, has two UNDENIABLE things going for him: Iron chin & dynamite fists.
Imagine if he decided, early on, to GET SERIOUS about training? Maybe went to AKA/Jacksons/whatever and learned some head movement & dumped that plodding style of his and learned to box?
Leben’s chin + speed/rhythm + head movement + brick fists x2 = DEATH
I think Wandy will tag him often, but them the Chris will catch him once and that will be it for the Axe Murderer.
But I could be wrong!!! Super excited for this one!!!!!
by Atomic Salmon on Apr 20, 2011 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions
If you'd been following his career since coming here
that’s the logo for his fight club / gym, which was voted best gym in Las Vegas.
It is branding, and advertising every time he fights and he doesn’t have to pay Zuffa a million bucks just to put a patch on his shorts.
by hardlyworking on Apr 20, 2011 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions
But in reality, it’s basically a tattoo of his own face on his shoulder. It is kinda silly and I love Wanderlei.
just like ochocinco
League won’t let me put my nickname on my jersey, I change my name.
Wand: Have to pay for sponsor logos…I’ll get my own face tatooed on myself.
War Machine changed his name to War Machine to circumvent a suit by the WWE. It works, saves money on legal fees, but still….
It’s understandable, but ridiculous.
I consider myself a softcore fan.
It's hard to get pumped for this fight
Should be fun as hell though.
Sometimes I just want to give it all up and become a handsome billionaire.
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Really?
Two guys who always leave it all out there with big power and mean streak. Sounds like a great fight to me.
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by doonerthesooner on Apr 20, 2011 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions
UPDATE:
The line’s just dropped, and it’s having more and more trouble recovering.
by Tedd Welch on Apr 20, 2011 5:08 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
why does everyone talk about how wanderlei turned down other fights?
this is a man who can turn down fights if he wants.
there’s no way he needed to fight brian stann. i like brian stann and it was classy of him to let it go after wanderlei refused the fight but calling out wanderlei at this stage of his career is a bit of a chickenshit move, like schaub wanting to fight cro cop but saying he “doesn’t need” to rematch roy nelson. if stann really wanted to challenge himself he’d fight a wrestler like munoz or someone.
as for the belfort fight, well, i have to say, that would have been great. having said that, i don’t see why, considering what an enormous star wanderlei is, and consnidering how long he’s been on the shelf, he isn’t entitled to a tune up.
People talk about it because we remember a time,
When Wand would fight a bear on like 2 days notice. He was a man who never backed down from a fight, then he declines fights with both Stann and Vitor. I agree that he deserves a tune up before fighting Vitor, but man, would I love to see that rematch, especially back in Brazil.
by HeadKickOfDoom on Apr 20, 2011 4:56 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
Wand would fight a bear on like 2 days notice.
You saw that video too?
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by alicks on Apr 20, 2011 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
At +140 Wandy would have been an absolute steal. I think this fight is fifty-fifty if both are game. If Wandy comes in rusty and stiff, he’ll lose. If Leben even thinks about the Stann fight, he’ll lose.
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This is going to be a high-level jiu-jitsu fight.
by I Can't Feel My Face on Apr 20, 2011 5:49 PM EDT reply actions
power is the last thing to go.
Yes, he does.
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by the-gentle-way on Apr 20, 2011 6:38 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
He dropped a weight class
It’s not just age.
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It’s a gamble (as it always is when you pit brawler against brawler) but I can definitely see Wand working the inside leg kick early and often. If it lands consistently, he’ll be able to trip up Leben coming in, slow him down, and control the fight. Although it’s very un-Wand to hit and run, he should do it in the first round to get Leben trying to chase him, not the other way around.
From there, should the first round go as plotted above, Wand would look to close the distance and work the clinch. If Leben is gassed, “sick”, or just worn down a bit, he should be able to at least score in the clinch, if not do some serious damage. Toss in a take down here and there while Leben is trying to brawl with Wand at close range, and it looks like a fight Wand can win by minimizing his risks, but still maintaining an exciting performance.
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Leben looks and sounds like he's been on a 6 month bender
I was favoring Leben early because I think Wand is that shopworn, but my tune has changed.
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Leben opening the favorite, and settling as the underdog...
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Or possibly "Logic Kicks in"
Bisping made a roided, “rejuvenated” Leben look like a little girl.
Wand thoroughly controlled Bisping and probably would have gotten a TKO had the fight continued.
But should be a good fight, both have the tools to win. I just see Wand being quicker and Leben gassing before Wanderlei does.
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