The Official Thread of Mixed Martial Arts

[Jimjamesak]

I have wondered every so often as to the thoughts of others around here of Mixed Martial Arts or MMA. So here's a thread for me to gauge interest and for those of us who enjoy the sport to discuss the goings on.

So to begin, Strikeforce: Nashville is tonight on CBS featuring 3 title fights, Dan Henderson (making his Strikeforce debut) vs Jake Shields (defending his Middleweight title won at the CBS event), Gegard Mousasi (current Light Heavyweight champion) vs Muhammed Lawal, and Shinya Aoki (DREAM Lightweight Champion, making his N. American debut) vs Gilbert Melendez (Strikeforce Lightweight Champion). If I'm looking forward to anything, it's the Aoki v Melendez fight because Aoki is that kind of guy you love to hate, mostly because Aoki is a punk.

On the UFC front, BJ Penn lost his Lightweight title to Frank Edgar at UFC 112 in a decision, definitely one of the bigger upsets. Also a new season of the Ultimate Fighter is on with Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell as the coaches (and oddly, Jake Shields as one of Liddell's assistants ). Not as exciting as the last TUF (or Henderso vs Bisping) but there is always something nice to come out of it.

[First Time, Long Time]

Re: The Official Thread of Mixed Martial Arts

Nice Brawl after the main event last night.

[Probert]

Re: The Official Thread of Mixed Martial Arts

I have wondered every so often as to the thoughts of others around here of Mixed Martial Arts or MMA. So here's a thread for me to gauge interest and for those of us who enjoy the sport to discuss the goings on.

So to begin, Strikeforce: Nashville is tonight on CBS featuring 3 title fights, Dan Henderson (making his Strikeforce debut) vs Jake Shields (defending his Middleweight title won at the CBS event), Gegard Mousasi (current Light Heavyweight champion) vs Muhammed Lawal, and Shinya Aoki (DREAM Lightweight Champion, making his N. American debut) vs Gilbert Melendez (Strikeforce Lightweight Champion). If I'm looking forward to anything, it's the Aoki v Melendez fight because Aoki is that kind of guy you love to hate, mostly because Aoki is a punk.

On the UFC front, BJ Penn lost his Lightweight title to Frank Edgar at UFC 112 in a decision, definitely one of the bigger upsets. Also a new season of the Ultimate Fighter is on with Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell as the coaches (and oddly, Jake Shields as one of Liddell's assistants ). Not as exciting as the last TUF (or Henderso vs Bisping) but there is always something nice to come out of it.

Last night's card was pretty good but I don't think any new MMA fans will be converted. First of all the card, as all of them have, ran late CBS cannot seem to time manage any sports and the main event did not end until close to midnight.

First of all the announcing is horrible Mauro Ranallo is horrible, isn't Stephen Quadros available? I don't see what Gus Johnson brings to the table I don't know if he was forced on Strikeforce by CBS. Frank Shamrock is pretty good.

On to the fights, the first 2 fights didn't really do a whole lot for me. Mousai was revealed to have horrible takedown defense and though he did quite a bit of damage from the bottom on the ground a lot of that seemed to be discounted by the judges. Lawal is the new Tito Ortiz, big mouth wrestler, he took him down and did minimal damage when on top and looked sick the few times the bout was standing.

The Melendez Aoki fight was pretty much what I expected unless Aoki could take him down. Despite being a Cesar Gracie guy you knew Melendez wasn't going to go to the ground with Aoki especially since Aoki's stand up game is basically non existent unfortunetly a very boring fight.

Enjoyed the main even was really surprised by how much Shields was able to dominate Henderson on the ground and take him down. One negative was how even despite being in full mount for minutes at a time Shields was unable to finish him.

The brawl post fight could have some serious ramifications, especially if the ratings aren't good, if CBS decides to drop them because of it. This is what happens when you have 3 of the biggest d**ks in MMA in the ring at the same time Jason Miller and Nate and Nick, who has pulled similar stunts to what Miller did in the past, Diaz.

The big thing that I am looking forward to on the Ultimate Fighter is when/how/if Tito gets replaced, with the announcement of Lidell vs Franklin rather than coaches match up of Liddell vs Ortiz at UFC 115

[Jimjamesak]

Re: The Official Thread of Mixed Martial Arts

Last night's card was pretty good but I don't think any new MMA fans will be converted. First of all the card, as all of them have, ran late CBS cannot seem to time manage any sports and the main event did not end until close to midnight.

First of all the announcing is horrible Mauro Ranallo is horrible, isn't Stephen Quadros available? I don't see what Gus Johnson brings to the table I don't know if he was forced on Strikeforce by CBS. Frank Shamrock is pretty good.

I gotta disagree, I like Ranallo, he's one of the best for MMA, it's Johnson that's forced in and holds him back. But maybe that's just because I was Pride fan.

On to the fights, the first 2 fights didn't really do a whole lot for me. Mousai was revealed to have horrible takedown defense and though he did quite a bit of damage from the bottom on the ground a lot of that seemed to be discounted by the judges. Lawal is the new Tito Ortiz, big mouth wrestler, he took him down and did minimal damage when on top and looked sick the few times the bout was standing.

10 point must is not for MMA and the judges that are used for most fights just don't how to judge MMA. The Japanese system isn't good either. But with Zuffa in bed with the AC's and their love of the 10 point must, it's what we've got. But Lawal won that fight no matter what system used, Mousasi couldn't do a thing besides his shots from the ground (which wasn't a bad idea for him, he knocked out Jacare that way and almost had Lawal too). Lawal's young so he's got things to learn and time to do it in.

The Melendez Aoki fight was pretty much what I expected unless Aoki could take him down. Despite being a Cesar Gracie guy you knew Melendez wasn't going to go to the ground with Aoki especially since Aoki's stand up game is basically non existent unfortunetly a very boring fight.

Melendez knew what he had to do to win and did it. Aoki has no stand up and in North America he wasn't gonna have Melendez forced to come into his guard like in Japan. Aoki is the exact reason why stomps to the body need to be legal like they were in Pride.

Enjoyed the main even was really surprised by how much Shields was able to dominate Henderson on the ground and take him down. One negative was how even despite being in full mount for minutes at a time Shields was unable to finish him.

I will say this, Jake Shields is the cure for insomnia. The man cannot finish a fight against a quality opponent to save his life, he just grinds it out and gets the decision. Its gets him a belt but it's boring as *. I will give him credit for not getting completely KO'd by Hendo in the first round though.

The brawl post fight could have some serious ramifications, especially if the ratings aren't good, if CBS decides to drop them because of it. This is what happens when you have 3 of the biggest d**ks in MMA in the ring at the same time Jason Miller and Nate and Nick, who has pulled similar stunts to what Miller did in the past, Diaz.

Who knows what'll happen, it's a big deal because it's MMA and not boxing or basketball (where stuff like that happens all the time) and so MMA takes the heat. What Shields, the Diaz's and the rest of the Cesar Gracie guys did was just the biggest, classless move I've seen ever. Was Mayhem right for jumping in like that? No, but that stuff happens all the time and Mayhem was just being Mayhem, it's why people (including me) like him. He's a personality. But to push the guy away and then have your buddies jump him like that is low.

[Probert]

Re: The Official Thread of Mixed Martial Arts

I gotta disagree, I like Ranallo, he's one of the best for MMA, it's Johnson that's forced in and holds him back. But maybe that's just because I was Pride fan.

Actually Pride's first announce team was Stephen Quadros and Bas Rutten before Ranallo replaced him they were a much superior announce team in my opinion to either Ranallo and Rutten or Ranallo and Trigg. There are really only 4 play by play guys in MMA Goldberg, Quadros, Todd Harris and Ranallo and in my opinion Ranallo comes nowhere near the first two. I believe Quadros and Ranollo called the IFL matches together.