UFC Ultimate Fighting Championship

[slash666]

Word is Sherk/Tyson Griffin will be on UFC 90 or 91

Also BJ Penn vs Georges St.Pierre is rumored for 92, which would be excellent!

[w.axl.rose]

anyone seeing tonight's ppv?

[D]

Just got finished and WOW what a fucking NIGHT of fights

I won't spoil it but GOD DAMN!

[slash666]

An excellent show tonight, highlight for me was Lesnar hes showing his potencial and if he performs like that from now on I predict big things for him. Before the fight Herring said he'd fought & beaten stronger & faster people, I think its safe to say he was wrong. Lesnar just toyed with him & those kness were as brutal as I've seen.

Pierre just continues to dominate I really have no idea who could actually push him further than Fitch did.

MacDonald vs Maia was a great fight aswell, Maia has got a bright future.

Am I the only one who doesn't rate Kongo that highly? Sure hes built like a shithouse and hits hard but thats just it, he has no mat skills. Although his ignoring of Rogan was quite funny.

Florian/Huerta was great too, specifically the 3rd round.

Emerson's knockout was sweet.

The crowd were pumped up all night which I find makes the show better. They seemed to die out alittle after Lesnars fight but I guess that was to be expected.

[Hammy]

Lesnar performance was very impressive.  Scary to think how much power he has in his hands, total domination on the ground to, I think if he'd pushed it more he could if finished him but was being very cautious after what happened with Mir which is understandable.  His celebration before the end of the fight just made him look like a dick though, anywhere but his home state they'd of boo'd like crazy.

Fitch and GSP earned everyone's respect.  GSP had another fight and dominating performance to add to his list of reasons why he is the best at 170 and maybe the best Pound-for Pound fighter.  Fitch is one hell of a durable fighter and impressed me no end, he can certainly take a licking and keep on ticking.  He looked done after the 1st, but heck he came out in the 2nd and you wouldn't of known he was hurt he threw some sweet combinations.  Down in the 3rd, I was wondering whether his corner would let him out, but no worries he was good to go again.  He may have won 8 fights in the UFC but this is the fight which will have got him over with the fans.

Who else is next for GSP besides Penn?  Thiago Alves, Diego Sanchez, neither of those two would have a chance.

Maia was great on the ground (as usual), lovely victory, kudos to McDonald for lasting though (although he wasn't doing as well as the biased commentary would have you believe)

Florian vs Huerta wasn't the classic everyone was hoping for but it was still a good fight and as you said dude (^) 3rd round was fantastic.  Florian's recent performances have definately earned him a title shot (or they should have), but really, he doesn't stand a chance againt Penn.

Manny losing  Didn't see that coming (neither did he)

Am I the only one who doesn't rate Kongo that highly? Sure hes built like a shithouse and hits hard but thats just it, he has no mat skills.

Not a fan, never have been really.  He came in, got some sweet knockouts and looked good, then he got taken to ground.  He had zero mat skills, really, zero he looked baffled and confused like what's this thing called ground work, I thought it was just kickboxing.  But he clearly went away and worked on it because in subsequent fights he has showed some ground knowledge, true he still has bugger all but he's obviously training some.  But I don't rate him or enjoy watching his fights generally.

Anywayz, Top Event!

[Hammy]

Georges didn?t look as big as he has before and he seemed like he had gotten tired from the first round. Fitch had the game plan of countering Georges and you just can?t do that. You can?t counter a quicker fighter. To be honest, halfway in the third round I got up and walked out of the arena and went to my hotel. The fight wasn?t the most exciting and I wanted to get out of there before everyone else was getting up to leave.

? Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes comments via his official blog on the main event from UFC 87 ?Seek and Destroy? on August 9.

GSP looked in superb shape, he may not have appeared as quick because it was a 5 Rounder....he was pacing himself, and the fight was great, Hughes really talks shit sometimes.

[D]

Matt Hughes is probably the most overrated fighter ever. One dimensional if there was ever a one dimensional fighter. I hate that fucking guy more than I can begin to put into words.

[Hammy]

Has anyone even considered the possiblity that Rashad Evans might win?

I mean I can't remember reading or seeing anyone even thinking he has a slight chance, everyone seems to be thinking ahead to the rumoured Chuck vs Griffin.

[slash666]

I really hope he doesn't win cause A/He will ruin Dana's plans  & B/He is as dull and boring as they come, hell Machida looks like Silva(Wanderlei or Anderson take your pick) compared to him.

Lesnar vs Kongo all but confirmed for UFC 91.

Gotta say some very interesting fights coming up, the two that I'm looking forward to most are Sherk/Griffin & Yoshida/Parisyan. With the latter looking very impressive on paper and I do hope the Heat gets a much needed win cause I'd love to see a Karo/St.Pierre rematch.

[Hammy]

You think Evans is boring but you are looking forward to Sherk/Griffin  what's up with that picture

Anyone smell a boring decision.

Evans has had his moments his KO of Sean Salmon was f'n awesome.  Not that I'm defending the dude that much I'm not that keen.

As for Parisyan, one of my very favourites and one of the few fighters who keeps going to decisions, but damn entertaining ones.

[slash666]

Hell what can I say, I just really wanna see Tyson F'up Sherk although your probably right with the decision.

Yeah I'd compare Karo to Wanderlei Silva, not always a quick KO but damn entertaining every fight.

[D]

You think Evans is boring but you are looking forward to Sherk/Griffin  what's up with that picture

Anyone smell a boring decision.

Evans has had his moments his KO of Sean Salmon was f'n awesome.  Not that I'm defending the dude that much I'm not that keen.

As for Parisyan, one of my very favourites and one of the few fighters who keeps going to decisions, but damn entertaining ones.

Sean Salmon is the key word in that sentence. he sucks though.

[slash666]

Word going around is Couture is about to sign a new UFC contract and his first fight back could be as early as UFC 91 against none other than Brock Lesnar, if that isn't a big money match I don't know what is!

[Hammy]

Word going around is Couture is about to sign a new UFC contract and his first fight back could be as early as UFC 91 against none other than Brock Lesnar, if that isn't a big money match I don't know what is!

I'll believe it when I see it.

And why sign a new one, his current one will do

I'm guessing it'll involve more money, also read it was rumoured as a one shot deal.

[slash666]

Word going around is Couture is about to sign a new UFC contract and his first fight back could be as early as UFC 91 against none other than Brock Lesnar, if that isn't a big money match I don't know what is!

I'll believe it when I see it.

And why sign a new one, his current one will do

I'm guessing it'll involve more money, also read it was rumoured as a one shot deal.

Nah what I heard was its something like a 3 fight deal he's gonna sign, more money & more benefits. Plus if he signs Zuffa will drop all the legal charges.

[Hammy]

Word going around is Couture is about to sign a new UFC contract and his first fight back could be as early as UFC 91 against none other than Brock Lesnar, if that isn't a big money match I don't know what is!

I'll believe it when I see it.

And why sign a new one, his current one will do

I'm guessing it'll involve more money, also read it was rumoured as a one shot deal.

Nah what I heard was its something like a 3 fight deal he's gonna sign, more money & more benefits. Plus if he signs Zuffa will drop all the legal charges.

Aye I've read that now, the original story I saw was making it sound like they'd do one fight, as a compromise and then be done, but the recent one, 3 fight, I saw on mmamania, here's the article:



Hell hasn?t frozen over just yet, but the temperature is definitely dropping.

What started as an ugly rumor is now snowballing into the biggest news story of 2008: Randy Couture?s return to the UFC.

Say what?

Dave Meltzer is reporting that exiled UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture is not only negotiating a new contract, but that his return could come as early as November at UFC 91 against the albino gorilla known as Brock Lesnar.

That means an end to his nine-month legal battle with Zuffa, but does it mean an end to his desired dream match against Fedor Emelianenko?

Not so, according to Ariel Helwani. MMA Rated says the UFC is also considering a proposal from M-1 Global to co-promote a Randy Couture vs. Fedor Emelianenko bout following the Lesnar fight in November and a possible third fight against current interim champion Antonio Rodrigo ?Minotauro? Nogueira sometime after that.

That of course begs the question: What happens to Minotauro?s belt if Couture returns? And what happens to Couture?s?

Since Randy is reportedly negotiating a new three-fight contract and not a repair of his old one, the landscape of the UFC heavyweight division could change significantly upon his return.

In fact, an announcement could come as early as next week.

But let us proceed with caution, because contracts are an ugly business. A verbal offer is worth as much as the paper it?s printed on. And ?negotiations? are worth even less.

Am I to believe that Randy Couture would stand on ceremony for the past year, hemming and hawing about fighter poverty and a dream match with Emelianenko, only to be reinstated with the promise of a fat paycheck and a pasty ex-wrestler?

That means Randy is like a junk bond, easily bought and sold at the mercy of the market. I?m not ready to go from ?Captain America? to ?Corporate America? just yet.

And how could the UFC bag the Russian Regulator from M-1 for just one fight? Why would UFC President Dana White grant Fedor a one-shot deal to face ?The Natural?? It doesn?t make sense, unless Randy relinquishes his title.

Forget about the 6-10 million Couture wants to fight ?The Cyborg?. Dana isn?t going to forfeit the credibility of his heavyweight division by letting Fedor come in for one fight, because if he wins it?s not just egg on the face of the UFC, it?s the whole chicken.

Not to mention the UFC heavyweight division is a much different place than it was when Randy went AWOL. The UFC has a very worthy champion in Nogueira and fans who haven?t warmed up to Nog yet will certainly get their chance when he appears on The Ultimate Fighter 8 opposite Frank Mir later this year.

And is anyone not excited to see more of up-and-coming superstars like Brock Lesnar, Cain Velasquez and Shane Carwin?

What prompted all of this? Who really needs who? Does Randy need the UFC or vice-versa?

I guess the answers to these questions will be very telling as they?re revealed over the next few days.

Of course none of us our privy to the negotiations that are rumored to be taking place, and I?m not looking to make anyone the villain.

But after a year of mud-slinging it just seems unlikely that Couture?s return can happen without someone looking like a money-grubbing liar.

I hope for legacy?s sake it isn?t Randy.

[D]

I like Randy coming back but I just cant see him beating Brock.

Randy is a great wrestler and dirty boxer, but Brock is just WAYYYYYYY too big for him to fuck with.

Randy weighs about 225, Brock is almost 285 when he gets in the cage. Brock is even quicker and more explosive than Randy.

Randy isn't that great at subs...............

I think it would be smart to give Randy someone like Heath Herring or even Justin McCully. Let him get a fight and some rust off but one with low risk.

THEN go ahead and let him fight NOG/Mir for the true championship after Nog and Mir fight.

If he wins those fights, set up a huge Lesnar/Couture matchup.

[Hammy]

Brock still has so much that is untested.  He looks like a monster and has been quite impressive, but I wonder what is his chin like, its not been tested yet.  His submission defence will be fine for Couture but through him in there with a Brazlilian and I doubt it.  Also what is his gas tank like? (And don't try to tell me, "Well he went 3 rounds no problem in his last fight", he spent 14 minutes laying on a dude half out of it).

And as for "If" Couture wins those fights you propose it sets up a match with Brock, I agree, but....Brock needs to win some more to.  Beating Heath considering his lack of experience is damn impressive, but it doesn't make him a world beater, at the moment he's still potential.  Clearly at his level, putting him in with certain people would be dumb, all the match-ups so far have been quite fair, considering.  Thing with Couture is I say don't underestimate him, he's the ultimate Gameplan dude, thinks things out so well.  People have written him off loads and he comes up with a way (even illegal "accidental" headbutts).

Ultimately though, there is so much money in a Couture vs Brock fight.

[slash666]

Word going around is Couture is about to sign a new UFC contract and his first fight back could be as early as UFC 91 against none other than Brock Lesnar, if that isn't a big money match I don't know what is!

I'll believe it when I see it.

Well now its official!

mmanews.com

With rumors swirling the internet for a week that Randy Couture could be making a return to the UFC after 11 months on the shelf, those rumors became a reality today when UFC President Dana White held a conference call to announce that the Heavyweight Champion will finally return to action and the UFC on November 15th when he defends his title against Brock Lesnar in a five round fight in Las Vegas, NV (not Portland OR that was initially the spot the November card was scheduled to emanate from)


More details will be available sortly but White did state that Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will remain the interim champion and the winners of the Couture/Lesnar and Nogueira/Frank Mir fights will meet in 2009 to unify the titles and make one champion again.

[Hammy]

Word going around is Couture is about to sign a new UFC contract and his first fight back could be as early as UFC 91 against none other than Brock Lesnar, if that isn't a big money match I don't know what is!

I'll believe it when I see it.

Well now its official!

mmanews.com

With rumors swirling the internet for a week that Randy Couture could be making a return to the UFC after 11 months on the shelf, those rumors became a reality today when UFC President Dana White held a conference call to announce that the Heavyweight Champion will finally return to action and the UFC on November 15th when he defends his title against Brock Lesnar in a five round fight in Las Vegas, NV (not Portland OR that was initially the spot the November card was scheduled to emanate from)


More details will be available sortly but White did state that Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will remain the interim champion and the winners of the Couture/Lesnar and Nogueira/Frank Mir fights will meet in 2009 to unify the titles and make one champion again.

That's too sweet. 

I'm hoping for either Nog vs Couture or Lesnar vs Mir II.  I think the first is more likely.