The MMA Discussion Dojo

[Purple-Days]

Steven Seagal may be getting little old and a little heavy, but he is still quick and I think might still be tough to take...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaDGBFB4ZOA&feature=player_embedded#at=222

 

[Brenard420]

Do you vape before training???

I dont because i train in traditional shotokan karate and they focus a great deal on repect. I feel that being too stoned would be disrespectful. lol
If I was doing mma however, i prob would. would help loosin me up and relax a lot more.

 

[Plotinus]

I will often vape a bit before working out. I'm not undergoing heavy training, though, just an hour or so of general conditioning a day.

 

[stonemonkey55]

Eddie Bravo, a premier jiu jitsu instructor swears by vaping before training as it helps him see openings that he normally doesnt see but I think it is more of a case by case situation. For me, if I vape before training, most likely I don't go training.

 

[EonBlue]

Didn't see this coming!

Zuffa Purchases Strikeforce

 

[AGBeer]

Oh my... Thats just fucking nuts man!!

At any rate, I am SUPAH STOKED - M1 Global is coming to town here in a couple of weeks, and I will have my media creds as a rep for my buddies forthcoming MMA magazine. In a nutshell what this means is I finally get to meet one of my longtime idols in the MMA world. Mauro Ranallo. He and Pat Militech will be doing the PBP of the fights. Although I would like to be WORKING this event (as an M1 employee) Ill make the best of what I get

 

[AGBeer]

Hows about the UFC Fight Night happening this evening on Spike?

Looks like Jon Jones's future challenger might be on the card tonight. You can also catch more of the prelims on Facebook - the stream last time worked well on my computer.

Oh holy hell, have you seen the entire fight card? This is almost better than a PPV (minus a title defense)

On Facebook -
(Heavyweight) McCorkle/Morecraft
135ers - McDonald/Figueroa
John Hathaway and TUF Alum Kris McCray @170
John Madsen and Mike Russow @ heavy
The one Ive been patiently waiting for - Alex 'Bruce Leroy' Caceres vs Mackens 'Da Menace' Semerzier.

On Spike we have the rematch of (arguably the FOTY candidate) - Leonard 'Badboy' Garcia and 'The Korean Zombie' Chan Sung Jung. Lets hope this lives up to the hype... Their last one was a barn burner.
Amir Sadollah vs Demarques Johnson
Dan 'The Outlaw' Hardy and Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson - Damn, this one also has FOTN potential.
And finally 'Lil Nog' Antonio Rogerio Noguiera vs (Undefeated) Phil Davis as the main event.

 

[Purple-Days]

Was reading a blog post about 9 famous people who could kill you with their bare hands. Most of the names were predictable. Chuck Norris of course, but a few surprised me.

Ed ONeill

I love that picture, onward:::
"Yes, thats right, Al Bundy could kill you with his bare (smelly) hands. Before you laugh, just remember that in addition to scoring four touchdowns in a single game for Polk High, ONeill is also a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, having studied for years under the famed Gracie family. He may look like an ordinary shoe salesman with a beaten soul, but beneath that humble exterior lies a true warrior, capable of wrapping himself like an anaconda around the body of anyone stupid enough to mess with him, squeezing and twisting until all thats left is just a pile of broken bones and regret. Its a messed up world, but its comforting to know that it is still a world in which a man like Ed ONeill can be considered a true lethal weapon. Seriously, finding this out made my day."

Mine too !!!

BTW VVV Angela Merkel ???

"What the hell? Yes, its true. Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, is a black belt in judo. Look at her picture and let that sink in for a minute. Okay, done?"

That's funny and scary at the same time.

http://guyism.com/celebrities/celebrities-who-are-also-dangerous-with-their-hands.html

 

[AGBeer]

Maynard James Keenan last I heard was a purple belt under Renzo Gracie (Im sure he is at least a brown by now) - There was a video of him choking out a fan that jumped up on stage (while still singing no less)

That and Bruce Buffer - I remember hearing about him choking Frank Trigg out on an elevator. Good times.

 

[BuddahMonk]

Was reading a blog post about 9 famous people who could kill you with their bare hands. Most of the names were predictable. Chuck Norris of course, but a few surprised me.

Ed ONeill
http://i53.tinypic.com/2hwe2ie.jpg
I love that picture, onward:::
"Yes, thats right, Al Bundy could kill you with his bare (smelly) hands. Before you laugh, just remember that in addition to scoring four touchdowns in a single game for Polk High, ONeill is also a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, having studied for years under the famed Gracie family. He may look like an ordinary shoe salesman with a beaten soul, but beneath that humble exterior lies a true warrior, capable of wrapping himself like an anaconda around the body of anyone stupid enough to mess with him, squeezing and twisting until all thats left is just a pile of broken bones and regret. Its a messed up world, but its comforting to know that it is still a world in which a man like Ed ONeill can be considered a true lethal weapon. Seriously, finding this out made my day."

http://guyism.com/celebrities/celebrities-who-are-also-dangerous-with-their-hands.html

I have trained and rolled with Ed O'neill over at the Gracie Academy. I was actually there when they presented him with his Black Belt at one of our Belt ceremonies. (I also got promoted. ) That guy is huge and is alot bigger than he looks on TV. A really Great and Nice guy. Love hearing the story he tells.

 

[chucku]

Ed O'Neill did play in the nfl for a couple of years for the Steelers in the 70's. He was a linebacker.

 

[Purple-Days]

New one.

Nun today ! Sisters fight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUQFX_IydG8

 

[AGBeer]

Okie, in lieu of this coming weekends UFC card (on Fox) I think it is high time to bump this gem of a thread.

Where? - The Fox TV network (Somewhere in your sea of channels - or at your local sports bar)
When? - Saturday 04 Aug 2012. Prelims start at 2P(PT) 5P for us East Coasters. -The main card starts 3 hours after that. (Do the math!)
Who? - Now this one Im glad you asked...

The main card stars Maricio 'Shogun' Rua (which in his own right may very well end up in the UFC HoF) vs. Brandon 'The Truth' Vera. (205) This fight is rather intriguing as BOTH fighters have once been touted as 'The next big thing' (Although Rua has already held that title IMO) but neither has been consistently consistent in the past several years. Rumor has it that the winner of this fight gets a chance to get beat up by Jon Jones (again)

Main card aside, the rest of the card is what makes me drool with all of its 'star struck' potential that it boasts. (Combined with the fact that this is a FREE card - I would not hesitate to plop down $50 to see a card of this magnitude)

-Here are some of my 'eye catchers' for this upcoming card.

Rani Yahya Vs Josh Grispi (145) - Both fighters have seen success under the WEC banner, and both fighters have topped world class competition in their fight histories. Both fighters are also coming off of losses and will be hungry to cause another stir in the 145 division.

Phil Davis vs. Wagner Prado (205) - Up until his last encounter with Rashad Evans, Davis was undefeated and considered to be the next challenger to Jon Jones and his title. Prado boasts an unblemished record and puts that on the line for the first time under the UFC banner. All of his fights (save 1) have come by the way of KO or TKO.

Cole Miller vs. Nam Phan (145) - 2 Ultimate Fighter alumni clash in this Featherweight contest. TbH neither fighter really stands out as a true 'standout' (IMO) but its a fight I am excited to see nonetheless due to the popularity of both of these fighters. (And their legacy in some of the smaller orgs)

Mike Swick vs Demarques Johnson (170) - Are you kidding me?? We havent seen Swick compete in over 2.5 years now (and sadly it was on the heels of back to back losses) But back in his 'heyday' he was a fan favorite (and still is) Yet another fight I am excited to see in how it pans out. From an outsider perspective, it would appear that this is supposed to be a 'tune up' fight for Swick to get him back in the public eye (and in the mix) again.

Joe Jauzon vs Jamie Varner (155) - Making what appears to be another run at the 155 title, 'The Worm' (Jamie Varner) has his hands full with the inconsistently exciting J-Lau. I guess thats a harsh word for 2 fighters who seem to have great success unless facing the 'top' competition, or when they are 'expected' to win. Varners past tactics make me less of a fan, but he is one helluva fighter, and gives this fight the makings of being one helluva match.

And finally - Lyoto Machida vs Ryan Bader (205) - Wow, what can I say about this one? Two fighters who have faced, beaten and been defeated by a whos who list of top tier competition in the division. One thing that both of these fighters share is a loss to the current HW champ in Jon Jones. Id like to believe that the winner of this fight will be next in line to challenge the loser of the main event (for a shot at the title eventually)

The cherry on top of this whole fight card is the fact that its free. Well, free(er) if you have a DVR to whiz by the commercials that is

Viva La MMA!

 

[technique]

I love the hua man but i dont think vera is in any condition to take him on nor has he done anything in the past year to deserve this chance, this is a trumped up fight which is exactly why fans have complained and the title shot taken away from this bout. Its not much better that it goes to one of the top four though!

In terms on Jones, yes he made a mess of shogun but remember shogun was originally set to fight a different opponent and took this fight on a months notice, he had clearly not been training to fight reach but i can give the benefit of the doubt to Jones and say he deserved that fight. Jones did get lucky against machida IMO as for the first round his elusive striking style had dominated Jones who seemed to have no response until he landed a choke.


P.s All this time i had no idea this thread existed... love it.

 

[AGBeer]

TbH I think that if anyone deserves a title shot for winning it would be Rua (even though he DID lose to Hendo) Vera (as much as I like the dude) needs a few more top 10 wins before he gets a crack at Jones again. Remember what Jones did to him the first time they met...

But even with a full training camp, I dont see Rua offering a whole lot more to Jones than he didnt in their first outing. Jones has shut my mouth more than once - I have come to the conclusion that its just easier to believe the hype than to be proven wrong again. (And again)

 

[AGBeer]

Holy crap! Rhonda Rousey did it again... She is now 6 for 6 in victories by armbar. All in the first round... That AND she called out the (other) most dominant woman I have seen in MMA - Kris 'Cyborg' Santos.

All I can say is wow. This woman has some brass balls (that shoot lightning from your ass) if ive ever seen a woman who carrys a pair. That and the fact that shes easy on the eyes.

 

[havealight101]

Ronda is scary!... She reminds me of my sister.. She had that arm bar sunk in just a few seconds after the trip-to-mount. I'm glad to see Kauffman be smart and tap at the appropriate time, the Tate arm bar was gut churning...
AG, nice preview of FOX 5, that ended up being one hell of a card.
Glad to see an MMA thread here. I never knew...
I like MMA for the fact that I get to see controlled chaos(fights with skills and rules). I wrestled for 12 years as a twerp, and found a good understanding of what our levers, core, and will can do. There is something to be said about a full exertion of all your energy in 6 minutes, with that said, some of the 25 min wrestlefucks that GSP is known for, even though they're boring, I have much respect... 25 min of grappling would make a lot of grown men cry, including me! Couture had one of the most grueling game plans. Really though, what I love about most combat sports is the fact that the respect and sportsmanship seems to be on another level than most if not all mainstream sports. I mean what's better than a slugfest, with an embracing at the end...Huerta vs Garcia maybe the most notable(SI cover?)
BTW, my toddler woke his mom up with an armbar the other day, made me soooo proud!

 

[bigtvapes]

Rousey is amazing.

Yea MMA became my favorite sport a few years ago with that Griffin/Bonnar TUF finale. I was at a bar watching that fight. I'd had a mild open-minded interest in MMA before that but wasn't into it all that much. Well the fight was on one TV because I'd asked for it and nothing else was really on sports-wise. A few of the guys at the bar were breakin my balls for putting it on. They couldn't have cared less when the show started. By the end of round one of that main event, EVERY PERSON in that bar was watching, it was on every TV, people were screaming and going nuts by the end of it. AMAZING fight and the moment I fell in love.

It's a great sport. It's a battle of intelligence, athleticism, and will between two people. And it's a rather simple fight. There are a few rules to basically ban lethal moves and stuff like that, but the idea is to beat your opponent however you can. The sheer amount of ways a fight can go in MMA makes it so beautiful to me. The mix of martial arts knowledge most of those guys have allows for some pretty incredible things to watch.

 

[AGBeer]

For me, it was UFC 4. We watched Dan Severn drop multiple people on their heads and Royce Gracie looking like a small weak man subbing everyone with moves we never even knew existed.

Then the 2 of them scrap and its a matter of Severn (once again) keeping Gracie on his back for 20 minutes. I *still* remember agreeing with the commentators 'Its only a matter of time before Gracie finally taps out' (as his eyes were bulging out of his head) and Severn gets trapped (in what we know now as a triangle choke) before my jaw hit the floor and I fell in love with the art of BJJ and well - the UFC.

The Bonnar/Griffin fight was amazing as well and I remember interviewing both of them pre-fight and Forrest right after he won that fight. It truly is amazing to see how far this sport has come in the past decade alone, and the fact that Rousey is helping to make history (as more history is made) makes it that much more cool. If my daughter can accomplish HALF of what she has as a martial artist, then I will feel success for her.

 

[havealight101]

Nooooo! 151 cancelled. Hendo has a slight mcl tear. Jones wouldn't fight sonnen....
They cancelled the whole thing. My buddy has tickets and airfare.....
They are saying Jones/Machida2 @ 152.
Man I'm bummed, I thought hendo had a good chance to push Jones farther than before if he could get inside the reach...
How does Jones get off turning down a fight with a whole card on the line... Dana must be pissed! Jones would kill him! Is Machida that much more interesting, or is Jones not confident he could win? Coughpussycough
I dont ever remember a whole card being canceled, I could be wrong though.

 

[AGBeer]

Im going to have to disagree with you here...

First off, I dont think that Hendo really 'earned' his title shot. While he is on a 4 fight win streak, take a look at the last 4 people he beat (plus how and when)

Renato Sobral - Babalu (if ever) hasnt been top 10 material in a number of years. *MAYBE* when they pitted him against Chuck Liddell many moons ago. His consistency rate sucks (still)

Rafael Cavalcante - The fact that you were considered a badass just because you are Brazillian went away after Helio Gracie passed (RIP) Nowdays being a Brazillian isnt a pass to be considered elite - you have to earn it. And aside from beating a personal friend of mine, I dont think too many people know who Cavalcante even is.

Fedor Emelianenko - Dont even get me started on this one... When I look in the dictionary for the definition of overrated, there is a picture of 'The Last Emperor' greeting me. Im sure that when he retires, Campbell's soup or Del Monte would be happy to pay his retirement with the number of tomato cans he has handled. Dan just happened to be the last pseudo relevant fighter to land a well placed shot on his chandelier of a chin.

And his most recent victory - Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua. (IMO) Rua hasnt been relevant since Pride dissolved and if his win/loss patchwork quilt is any indication then I dont know what is. Besides, this fight (which happens to be Dans last victory) was ALMOST OVER A YEAR AGO.

Hendo, you are awesome. I am a fan til the end, but like the last 2 fighters on this list - you are a has been. You all but dominated in Pride and held 2 titles at one time - you then came to the UFC and lost them both in a row.

Id say this is one of the problems I have with MMA (and the UFC as a whole) - Fighters getting undeserved title shots because of their has-been-ness. I guess it is all a #s game, and well, a has-been can draw in quite a few people at the gate when it comes down to brass tacks.


Now, as far as Jones not fighting Sonnen - I cant say I blame him here. Sonnen (once again IMO) doesnt DESERVE a title shot. In fact, I tend to question whether he deserves to even be in the UFC (but then again, big mouths bring big paydays) He has quite the track record of shady shit, and well from a 'fight perspective' - you lost 2 title shots in a row dude. Dont be a KenFlo.

I am in no way a Jones nuthugger, but that boy has EARNED his #1 ranking. And to challenge for that #2 spot - you better have earned it.

 

[bigtvapes]

Hendo def earned his shot. He was basically the only real streaking LHW except Gustafson. And Hendo's record as of late is better than Gustafson's.



Jones should have just taken the fight. He would have steamrolled Sonnen and avoided all this drama and doubt.

 

[havealight101]

I see your point, but should the champs fight once a year when that challenger is available/healthy/not effed by judging/clean.
I totally agree there are a lot of undeserved title shots, but with dominant champs like jones/Silva/GSP/aldo, there wouldn't be many fights if they waited for the deserving challenger. It's great we got the elite champs, but they can't sit on the shelf because of it. Hendo was the most deserving challenger at the time, no one else, what do you do other than pray for a good fight
"dont be a kenflo" LOL. In no way do I believe sonnen deserves the fight, but the 20 other fighters deserve to fight and get a paycheck, not to mention "taking one for the team" for how well the UFC treats their stars. They lost a butt load of cash on this one, not to mention blue collars that make these events happen at the lowest level.
He shouldn't have taken the fight based on sonnen's contender status, but on the FACT that it was the right thing to do on many levels. That decision was way more than if Jon wanted to fight sonnen or not.
Who's your friend that cavelcante beat?

 

[AGBeer]

On the points of principle - I agree with you 100%. Yes, Jon should have 'felt a morale responsibility' to continue forward. (I can say with most certainty) That one of my favs would have NOT acted like this *Cough*AndersonSilva*Cough*

But lets be real - thats not how shit works in this BUSINESS.

The reality is, if the show (shoe) was on the other foot then Zuffa would have no problems (and have not in the past) giving fighters the boot for reasons deemed relevant to themselves. The fighters are aware of this caveat when they sign the agreement (aka contract) with the parent company of Zuffa. Its similar to how contracts in ANY entertainment business works - "We reserve the right to terminate your employment when we want for what we want if we want" The only thing guaranteed is what we agree on when your name goes on that dotted line - and then again, even that isnt a true guarantee.

Am I as a fan disappointed at this whole debacle that could have been 'avoided' if Jones just 'manned up'? Of course I am... But like the ebb and flow of this business, fighters come and fighters go - the one constant is the man behind the curtain. And well, if Jones gives them an inkling of a reason to flex their 'fine print' stipulation(s) then believe me they will.

Just ask Tim Sylvia, Andre Arlovski or a handful of other fighters who they 'set up' to be shown the door.
Jones is not and will not be any different (when it comes down to brass tacks)

He knows this and he is just playing the game. Hate the game - not the player.

 

[havealight101]

I agree, its definitely a game.
Jones and the whole sport is in a different league than when Silvia and arlovski(those 2 fight eachother soon?) were hanging around.
It would seem Jones' marketing force is way larger than Silvia/arlovski ever dreamed to be. I dont think Dana cqn flex that muscle as strong as he'd like to.
I know each fighter is their own LLC/business, and there are only so many fights they have in them, and they have to look out for them selves. But some fighters aren't bright enough to see the whole picture, and don't play the game that benefits them the best.
Look at Rampage, super dumb, didn't play the game right, now he gets Glover Texeria as a send off, night night rampage.
It s all jacked, at least its not as jacked as politics.
Were all going to tune in to hopefully see Jones loose now...who won this one ....Jones.

Edit: just read Machida turned it down, Belfort is in. Weidman wanted it(balsy/$$).
The fight just keeps getting more and more lopsided.