MMA News Discussion Thread

[Flins.]

Now that is surprising, and possibly the first induction that we are seeing a shift? He might have lost a few of the top tier fights but he is far from boring and one of their bigger draws in Canada.

[Cory]

I think this falls on the UFC not willing to pay for one of their biggest 170 draws.

Plus most fighters hate the Reebok deal, Rory is getting more money and its now a much bigger fish in a smaller pond. I dont blame him

[The TeeJ of Philly]

Listening to both Randy Couture and Bendo on the fighter and the kid, bellator is starting become a viable alternative for fighters as they're more fighter friendly, both in how they do promotions and money wise. I wouldn't be surprised to see Cowboy leave UFC if UFC balks at his demands, I believe he had one more fight on his contract currently but I'm not sure.

[Jon]

Listening to both Randy Couture and Bendo on the fighter and the kid, bellator is starting become a viable alternative for fighters as they're more fighter friendly, both in how they do promotions and money wise. I wouldn't be surprised to see Cowboy leave UFC if UFC balks at his demands, I believe he had one more fight on his contract currently but I'm not sure.

Cowboy has already signed a 8 fight contract to stay with UFC.

[The TeeJ of Philly]

Cowboy has already signed a 8 fight contract to stay with UFC.

Ah, didnt see that from yesterday. Good for him.

[Cory]

Listening to both Randy Couture and Bendo on the fighter and the kid, bellator is starting become a viable alternative for fighters as they're more fighter friendly, both in how they do promotions and money wise. I wouldn't be surprised to see Cowboy leave UFC if UFC balks at his demands, I believe he had one more fight on his contract currently but I'm not sure.

Its good to have competition (insert WWE having none comparison here). Bellator will never really challenge UFC ever....but theres certainly enough room to have a successful secondary promotion especially with all their free TV on Spike.

I think we'll really see Bellator develop if they can continue to hold onto their homegrown talent while adding a few known UFC guys. They're gonna need to lock in Michael Chandler and more importantly Michael 'Venom' Page.....who might be the hottest Welterweight prospect in the world today

[Doug E Fresh]

I'll be in Cleveland tonight for the fights. Doesn't look like a great card really. Just overhyped around here because Stipe is a Cleveland boy and of course CP Munk.

[Cory]

Enjoy it man, my bet is both of those fights have a finish.

[Cory]

Respect to Punk

[Cory]

what in the hell was that main event though?

yikes.

[Duckman]

Never mind that main event, what the hell was that ref doing in the Browne v Werdum fight?  You don't get a time out for an ouchie finger in UFC!  He turned his back and said stop.  Verbal submission.  Ref should've stopped the fight there and then.  Christ, remember a few years back when Rich Franklin broke his arm against Chuck Liddell and kept fighting, and knocked Chuck out with his other arm?!?  I just can't stand Travis Browne .  He's a dirty fighter, constantly using eye pokes and when his finger gets hurt he wants the fight to be stopped so he can be treated, and then carry on fighting.

Also, Edmund...got to be a contender for the worst coach in MMA.  Everyone coming out of his gym looks worse with each fight.  I was rolling my eyes at him ranting and raving during the fight.  Then he has a go at Werdum after and almost ends up with Werdum kicking him in chest?  What the hell!?!

That aside, I actually thought the show was fun.  Granted, some of the fights (one especially) sucked, but at least from a talking point pov there's plenty to get your teeth into.

As for Punk?  Went exactly how I expected.  In fact it went a minute longer than I expected.  There's a reason you don't see backyard football players starting in the NFL.  Same thing here.  Just a ridiculous experiment on UFC's behalf and with his level of skill, it was pretty dangerous to put him in the cage like that.  At least when James Tony came in he had some combat experience.  Fair play to Punk though, he's got crazy self belief and he did seem to enjoy the experience.  He should never fight in UFC again though.  Be interested to see this show's buy rate and if he made a big difference.  I don't expect this one to do much above 300,000 buys - with Punk maybe adding 50K to the base rate for this kind of show.

At least Mickey Gall knows what's up and immediately called out Sage Northcut.  Smart move young man.

Oh and to those people who claimed McGregor was 'running away' during the second Diaz fight...take a look at Roidreem in the main event of this show - now THAT is running during a fight!

Decent, newsworthy show.  But please, no more fights for Punk in UFC.

[Flins.]

I think the reaction to Punks loss is a little over the top. He defended fairly well on the ground, was just out grappled by more experienced fighter. You see that kind of victory all the time in professional fights. The rush in was his biggest mistake and what appeared amateurish. But comparing it to Toney? I mean he was just a useless sack of shit that Couture humiliated. It was vastly different. There have been far worse performances by wrestlers turned MMA, Del Rio get head-kicked, O'Haire getting KTFO by a 50 year old Butterbean (guessing at the age). I do agree, however, that he should have started with some bums in the lower leagues and built himself up for he payday in the UFC, not doubt he would have still lost but you'd hope it was in a less dominate manner.

[Duckman]

You thought he defended fairly well?  For a white belt maybe but jeez man, he got utterly schooled.  The only time I've seen more one sided ground work in a top level fight is when Maia fights and he is basically a human back pack that chokes you out for fun.  And Mickey Gall is no Damien Maia on the ground.

James Toney was a world champion level boxer.  At three weight classes.  One of the best ever.  He had a legitimate combat sports background, not MMA, but he had earned money fighting.  He had the same level of MMA experience as Punk and was handled just the same. 

I actually don't see any difference between the two performances.  They were both terrible and both nowhere near the UFC level.

I respect Punk's determination and guts - he did something I'll never do.  But to say he did ok and defended well, you must've watched a different fight to me.  I just saw an amateur getting owned - something I don't want to see in the UFC.  If I did, I watch amateur MMA fights.

[Flins.]

Watch Punks hands and body positioning, I am not a BJJ expert but he was defending himself. You are talking as though Gall dumped on his arse and tapped him out in a seconds, which is pretty much what happened with Toney. Perhaps I am not remembering the Toney fight that well. I think you are hyperboling it to the extreme because it is Punk and the circumstances that lead to him fighting in the UFC. If I could be arsed, I'd pull up several examples of similar finishes between pro's.

[Duckman]

Nah man, that was someone being utterly dominated.  He landed no punches, no take downs, didn't improve his position once after he was taken down and was finished in just over 2 mins.  Never mind his hand and body position, he was completely done as soon as that fight hit the ground. He defended himself for as long as it took Gall to get his back - which was about 20 seconds.  He never looked like he wasn't going to get finished. 

I've watched enough MMA for enough years to recognise when someone is an amateur and doesn't have the skills required.  Punk is that guy.  It's just a fact - he hasn't trained as long, he's too old to start this as a career and his body has a ton of mileage on it. 

The Toney fight went the exact same way.

I'm not hyperboling anything to the extreme because it's Punk.  I'm just saying what I and the rest of the universe saw - he got owned.  Simple as that.  He didn't do anything in the fight.  At all. 

I know why he got to UFC - because of his name and he's a superstar.  I'm fine with that.  But you can't turn round after a demolition job like that and say he did well, or even ok, just because he's Punk.

If anyone else had come into UFC with a 0-0 record, performed like that and been finished in under 3 mins, I'd be saying exactly the same thing.  The gulf in class was blantently obvious and Mickey Gall isn't exactly a top level guy (he might be in the future but will need to see him a real fight and a few more years doing this).

He should never have fought in the UFC first place and he shouldn't again.  I'm all for the show business and money making side of things, but you've at least got to have pros fighting real pros. 

Fair play to him for doing that, but no one is going to convince me it was a good idea, or that he performed well.