MMA News Discussion Thread

[Jon]

and sounds like he wants Bisping....that's not a good matchup for the champ at all.

There are not many good matchups for the "champ". He'd be an underdog against a majority of the top fighters in his weight class.

[Cory]

I still think a guy that'd be willing to stand and bang like Rockhold, Weidman or someone with comparable wrestling like Jacare will be far better than having a rusty GSP take him down for 25 minutes.

[Duckman]

Hendo, Hendo, Hendo!!  Let him fight Hendo.  Although GSP would draw more, so they'll probably go with that.

But from a storyline perspective and as Hendo's last fight it'd be great.

Even if Hendo wins, he can vacate the Title and do the winner of Rockhold v Weidman vs Jacare or whoever for the Title.

[Jon]

Hendo, Hendo, Hendo!!  Let him fight Hendo.  Although GSP would draw more, so they'll probably go with that.

But from a storyline perspective and as Hendo's last fight it'd be great.

Even if Hendo wins, he can vacate the Title and do the winner of Rockhold v Weidman vs Jacare or whoever for the Title.

That would a be a terrible decision.

If Jacare doesn't get the next shot... it'd be Frankie Edgar in the FW division all over again.

Hendo shouldn't be ANYWHERE in ANY title shot conversation. It'd be one thing if he got there by drawing big numbers, but he doesn't do that. He really should walk away right now as that last fight, doesn't get much better than that for him.

[Cory]

That would a be a terrible decision.

If Jacare doesn't get the next shot... it'd be Frankie Edgar in the FW division all over again.

Hendo shouldn't be ANYWHERE in ANY title shot conversation. It'd be one thing if he got there by drawing big numbers, but he doesn't do that. He really should walk away right now as that last fight, doesn't get much better than that for him.

BTW - Check out the UFC Unfiltered Podcast that just released hosted by Jim Norton and Matt Serra, great podcast especially for the first one.

....they had Dana on and asked him about everything from the sale, Ariel, UFC 199 + Ottawa cards but they talked about the Hendo/Bisping fight and he essentially said he'd want that fight and most of the guys at 185 are injured (Weidman, Jacare) that deserve the shot ahead of Hendo, so things may allign if these guys want to fight sooner than later.

[Jon]

BTW - Check out the UFC Unfiltered Podcast that just released hosted by Jim Norton and Matt Serra, great podcast especially for the first one.

....they had Dana on and asked him about everything from the sale, Ariel, UFC 199 + Ottawa cards but they talked about the Hendo/Bisping fight and he essentially said he'd want that fight and most of the guys at 185 are injured (Weidman, Jacare) that deserve the shot ahead of Hendo, so things may allign if these guys want to fight sooner than later.

That's just crazy to me. He's 13th in the MW rankings. That should be nowhere near title shot discussion. He's lost 4 out of this last 6 fights. It'd be like Mir getting a crack at Stipe because he's had an awesome career. Too many deserving people in front of him, IMO, to not get a crack first. Can't tell me the 12 people are injured in front of him. I mean I love Hendo... but, it sends a really bad message IMO.

[Cory]

I'd love that fight but I totally agree, but how many fights have been made because they'll sell better v/s giving it to a person who by the rankings earned it. They may also see well Bisping was quite a way off in the rankings and won the belt.

It's all about $$$ and this fight already has backstory. Well say Hendo is at #10.

1. Yoel -- Suspended?
2. Rockhold - Just loss
3. Jacare - Hurt
4. Weidman - hurt

Everyone else (Kennedy, Brunson, Mousasi, Belfort, Machida) wouldn't sell anywhere close to Hendo, and I wouldn't be surprised if Dana will hold the multiple failed drug tests of Yoel, Belfort against them if they bumped Hendo).

[Jon]

I'd love that fight but I totally agree, but how many fights have been made because they'll sell better v/s giving it to a person who by the rankings earned it. They may also see well Bisping was quite a way off in the rankings and won the belt.

It's all about $$$ and this fight already has backstory. Well say Hendo is at #10.

1. Yoel -- Suspended?
2. Rockhold - Just loss
3. Jacare - Hurt
4. Weidman - hurt

Everyone else (Kennedy, Brunson, Mousasi, Belfort, Machida) wouldn't sell anywhere close to Hendo, and I wouldn't be surprised if Dana will hold the multiple failed drug tests of Yoel, Belfort against them if they bumped Hendo).

I think Bisping was 4th or 5th in the rankings. And he took a fight on short notice... little bit different then a planned title fight. And he was coming off a pretty good streak of wins since his loss to Rockhold in 2014.

I would rather a Hendo/Rockhold rematch and that would sell SOOOOOOO much better than Hendo/Bisping which I could really care less about. Let's give Mir a title fight too. And might as well give BJ Penn a shot when he is ready to go too. Fuck... let's bring back Iceman for a shot at the Bones/Cormier winner. I mean, come on. It'd be a joke if Hendo was holding that belt if he beats Bisping. So many better fighters than him in that weightclass. 

The plan is for Bisping to defend in November at UFC 205 in MSG. Weidman and Jacre have both stated they'd be ready then.

Bisping/Hendo would be only good enough to headline a UFC Fight Night. I think it'd be a terrible move by the UFC... but maybe the sale (if it happens) would start trending match-ups that should happen more often. 

[Doug E Fresh]

CM Punk's UFC debut official for September 10th in Cleveland at 203.

[Duckman]

Yeah Jon I do agree with to you to a point, but it's not about rankings at all with Hendo/Bisping.  It's about getting the biggest buy rate for a Title fight and right now, with everyone else out injured, the story is there for Henderson to get his final shot.  His last fight, against one of his most famous opponents (everyone remembers his finish of Bisping at UFC 100 and there season of TUF did well), who is now champion and looking for revenge.  Pro wrestling story telling at its finest, only done as a shoot.  The fight completely sells itself to the general public and also to the nostalgic hardcore fans who would like to see Henderson have one final big fight.

I think you're majorlyunder estimating what a draw Bisping v Henderson would be, compared to Bisping fighting any one else in the divison.  Henderson is a much bigger name and is much more popular right now than either Rockhold or Jacre.  And they're both injured.

Now from a sporting point of view, I agree with you completely.  But this is UFC, this is sports entertainment.  They want fights that will draw the biggest audience - countless examples down the years that great fights don't draw, it's stars and personalities.  And right now, in that division, Bisping and Henderson are arguably the biggest and most well known stars to the audience UFC needs to draw from to make money from - namely the mainstream and casual fans - the ones that tune in for Ronda and Conor's fights on mass.

It might all be a moot point anyway as GSP says he wants his comeback fight against Bisping for the Title and THAT is a real big money match for Bisping and UFC, much bigger than Henderson.

I just think when discussing these decisions by UFC, it's always worth remembering that logic, fairness and who is where in the rankings isn't at the forefront of their thinking.  It's about drawing money.  And Bisping fighting either Henderson or GSP, makes them a ton more money than him fighting Rockhold or Jacre, no matter how much each guy may deserve it.

It's funny how close this kind of thing mirrors WWE with people saying certain people shouldn't get a push, even though the company believe they will draw them money.

As for Punk's fight...I don't know man.  Freddie Roach said it'd take him 3 years solid training to get Conor ready to box Mayweather.  I reckon that's being generous as hell.  For MMA, I'm thinking 5 years training and some lower level fights before getting into UFC.  And that's for someone with a background in wrestling, judo, BJJ, or any other combat sport.  Punk is not that guy and I'd be utterly shocked if he made it out round 1.

But just like everything else I've mentioned, he's not about the sport, he's about drawing money and getting the general public/casual fan to watch.  If Belator have proved one thing this past year or so it's that the public will watch freak show fights, terrible fights and all other kinds of BS if there's stars involved or guys with charisma and interesting personalities - which Punk does have.  He's still doomed though.

[Cory]

Best thing to hopefully come from the Punk fight is a 1st round KO from Gall and Punk looking to go back to wrestling.

[Fnord]

It's official -- CM Punk is scheduled for his first UFC fight, and it'll take place just under two years after he first signed with the UFC.

Punk announced on UFC Unfiltered that he'd be fighting Mickey Gall at UFC 203 in September.

"I've been laying low media-wise, because I have nothing to say," Punk told Matt Serra and Jim Norton. "You can't talk a bunch of s--t until you've been in there, and I haven't been. The instant I got cleared, I got on the horn and nailed everything down, and I'll be debuting September 10 in Cleveland."

Punk said that he had to take care of his injury issues before setting a date for his UFC debut, ones that he's dealt with for years.

"I'm happy to have a date, there's a light at the end of the tunnel. You keep training and keep training until you hit a wall, and that was the point I was at. I found out I've been walking around with a herniated disk for probably years," Punk said.

[Fnord]

- As noted, CM Punk revealed that he will make his UFC debut against Mickey Gall at UFC 203 on September 10, nearly two years after his UFC signing was announced. UFC 203 is scheduled to take place at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH, which C-NET points out is the same arena that Punk left WWE after a heated exchange with Vince McMahon and Triple H. Punk has not been to a WWE event since.

[Cory]

I have to admit I like how he understands the expectations from this fight. He was recently on the newest UFC Podcast with The Rock and he seemed like he got the full scope of his debut.

"If I win it's because Mickey Gall is a can and if I lose it's because I suck and should go back to WWE".

He gets it.

[Black Death]

I have to admit I like how he understands the expectations from this fight. He was recently on the newest UFC Podcast with The Rock and he seemed like he got the full scope of his debut.

"If I win it's because Mickey Gall is a can and if I lose it's because I suck and should go back to WWE".

He gets it.

yep , you got to like that he self aware about what people are thinking about this fight.

my hope is he can get the fighting out of his system , heals up and comes back to wrestling one day. Still think he got a lot left to offer .