Now, there are writers I disagree with. I don't agree with alot of the guys at sherdog, I don't agree with alot of the guys that the UFC hires to write hype pieces. Still, I respect those guys, because they respect the fighters and do some research.
But when you step into the arena of "MMA commentary" and throw out a piece where your first reference is to Hulk Hogan, you need to reevaluate your decision and head back to the WWE forums.
I would like to say that this is just a shot at John Curry, but he's not the only one doing this. Still, since I got emailed a link to his article, I think I'll point out exactly what bothers me about this guy.
First, look at the guys he's criticizing:
Chris Leben, who holds some of the most exciting knock out victories. He knocked out Alessio Sakara, Terry Martin, Jorge Santiago, Jorge Rivera and Jason Thacker (not to mention submitting Edwin Dewees and going the distance with Patrick Cote and Luigi Fiorvanti). I don't think there's any surprise that they keep him around, since he pretty much promotes himself.
Jens Pulver. I'll get to my problem with that listing in a minute.
Tim Sylvia, who is hardly overrated, as he's one of the most disliked fighters in the sport and is now fighting with a small show no one cares about.
Ortiz and Evans. Obviously, his failure to mention that Tito Ortiz is a six time UFC lightheavyweight champion and his comparison of Ortiz to Hulk Hogan says enough, but I think what says more is that he totally ignores Evans' knockout of Jason Lambert and the fact that this guy won TUF after being the last pick in his weight class and by beating a guy who is almost a whole foot taller than him.
He mentions Kimbo Slice, who is a product of his own hype, not of his organizations, and while he's not the best fighter, he doesn't claim to be. He's a generally modest guy who's matchups get alot of publicity because he's fun to watch.
Now, even if we ignore that this numbskull left Brock Lesnar off of his list and put Lyoto Machida (one of the most unhyped fighters around, despite coming off of a chokeout of the man many of us thought could bring down top guys in the 205 pound class) on, it makes alot more sense when you look at some of the ridiculous and fallacious factual errors that he makes.
He suggests that Jens Pulver dropped down a weightclass after he returned to the UFC and lost to BJ Penn and Joe Lauzon. Never mind the fact that Pulver had been competing as a 145 pound fighter since 2003. Never mind the fact that Pulver is 10-0 with 10 finishes in that weight class. You can say that he dropped down because he felt like he couldn't compete at 155, that's true, to some degree. But it's also true of Urijah Faber, who commited to fight full time at 145 after losing to Tyson Griffin.
Anyway, I hope I've made my point. There are some great guys in newmedia, and some guys with ideas that I disagree with. But there are also guys who just make stuff up to fit a bizarre Hulk Hogan fetish, and we could pretty well without them.
Monday, March 31, 2008
My Thoughts on Cung Le vs. Frank Shamrock
Now, I said that this fight was going to be more interesting than Frank Shamrock getting a takedown. I said that Cung Le was a better wrestler than everyone seemed to think. I said that Cung Le would win the standup game if he could keep the fight standing.
Even I won't pretend that I expected Le to devastate Shamrock the way that he did. I didn't expect him to snap Frank's arm in half. But, now that he did, and the fact that he did it to the King of Pancrase and the great Frank Shamrock, I think that Le has basically solidified his position as a top 185 pound fighter.
Personally, he'll be well into my top seven, and I think that, if he decimates a few more quality opponents (say, Robbie Lawler and Phil Baroni), then he should call out Anderson Silva, and I think that that's the toughest matchup for Silva right now.
Anderson wants someone he can strike with, and who can strike with him. Le will make that fight stay standing. He will use his San Shou takedown skill to keep the fight standing (and I don't think that Silva's wrestling is good enough to really resist, and I doubt he would want to), and he will make it a kickboxing match to remember.
This is a fight I want to see because I want to see if Anderson's kickboxing is as good as everyone thinks it is (and I include myself in that everyone). Silva never really established himself as a top kickboxer in the world, and the prospect of him fighting a guy who has makes my mouth a little watery.
The Shamrock fight was a great showcase for Cung Le and I wish him the best of luck, since he's a great guy. I hope he continues to dominate Strikeforce, but I would like to see him push for some serious competition, as the current field of competitors doesn't do much for me.
Even I won't pretend that I expected Le to devastate Shamrock the way that he did. I didn't expect him to snap Frank's arm in half. But, now that he did, and the fact that he did it to the King of Pancrase and the great Frank Shamrock, I think that Le has basically solidified his position as a top 185 pound fighter.
Personally, he'll be well into my top seven, and I think that, if he decimates a few more quality opponents (say, Robbie Lawler and Phil Baroni), then he should call out Anderson Silva, and I think that that's the toughest matchup for Silva right now.
Anderson wants someone he can strike with, and who can strike with him. Le will make that fight stay standing. He will use his San Shou takedown skill to keep the fight standing (and I don't think that Silva's wrestling is good enough to really resist, and I doubt he would want to), and he will make it a kickboxing match to remember.
This is a fight I want to see because I want to see if Anderson's kickboxing is as good as everyone thinks it is (and I include myself in that everyone). Silva never really established himself as a top kickboxer in the world, and the prospect of him fighting a guy who has makes my mouth a little watery.
The Shamrock fight was a great showcase for Cung Le and I wish him the best of luck, since he's a great guy. I hope he continues to dominate Strikeforce, but I would like to see him push for some serious competition, as the current field of competitors doesn't do much for me.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
To Silence Fedor's Critics (and to satisfy the curious)
Frankly, this is my definition of a fluke loss.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Pramit Mohapatra Interviews Mark Cuban
Fightticker's Pramit Mohapatra sat down with Mark Cuban and threw some questions at the millionaire behind HD Net. There has been alot of speculation about what, exactly, the purpose of HD Net is going to be, about whether it is going to serve as a line for Dream and World Victory Road into the American scene, or whether it is going to coagulate alot of the free agent fighters starting to crop up (both Fedor Emelianenko and Randy Couture have been mentioned by name).
My thoughts on the Cuban interview are a little bit direct, but I will say that I'm glad Cuban took questions and the first thing that struck me was his compliment of Fedor Emelianenko. While that may have been a diplomatic move, throwing a little flattery at the guy he's trying to sign, but it seemed genuine to me, and the fact is (while I consider the comparison to Charles Barkley to be a little inadequate) he gives recognition where recognition is due. That's good to see, especially from someone as typically egnimatic as Cuban has been known to be.
Cuban says openly that he's working on nailing out an agreement with Kurt Angle and Randy Couture to get a fight put together, and while I think that the fight would be an utter embarrasment if it happens, I can't say that I'm surprised Cuban wants to put the fight together. I mean, people would pay money to see this fight, and if Cuban puts together fights people want to see, he'll establish himself as a force very, very quickly.
I do like that Cuban says that cards should be offered free, with the exception of a handful of pay-per-view events. I do agree that the UFC expecting people to pay $40 for a crappy card is ridiculous, but I also think that Cuban expecting to have a monopoly on the outlet puts him in as much trouble with anti-trust regulations as the UFC is. Still, I think that it's important to recognize that since Elite XC is coming through CBS and IFL is available on other outlets, he's not going to have a serious monopoly.
Now, I only have one sticking point with Cuban's interview. I just want to make a short note before I start on the issue I disagree with Cuban on. The fact that Cuban can't comment on the ongoing trial with the UFC over the fate of Randy Couture. Obviously, Cuban is the one that brought the suit, but I think it's important to recognize that the suit is ongoing and Cuban has the good sense not to comment on it.
My problem with the Cuban interview is his assertion about the "Inside MMA" rankings as the guide to who is really the top of MMA. There is no associated press in MMA, there is no coagulate rankings. The fact that MMA rankings are subjective and are intricated is what makes them interesting. I can't say that I agree with the prospect of using one source as a way of structuring his divisions. It's ridiculous.
Establishing a ladder is a single organization job, and the thought of giving a single media outlet control of structuring that ladder subjects it to the bias of the guys at "Inside MMA." While they're smart guys, I don't think that we should give them the freedom to establish the ladders on their own.
Belts are a system that allows for extra publicity and a sense of dominance within an organization and a set of rules, and the ladder is a system of seniority. While I don't think that the system is perfect, I think that suggesting handing all of that over to a single magazine is not an improvement.
My thoughts on the Cuban interview are a little bit direct, but I will say that I'm glad Cuban took questions and the first thing that struck me was his compliment of Fedor Emelianenko. While that may have been a diplomatic move, throwing a little flattery at the guy he's trying to sign, but it seemed genuine to me, and the fact is (while I consider the comparison to Charles Barkley to be a little inadequate) he gives recognition where recognition is due. That's good to see, especially from someone as typically egnimatic as Cuban has been known to be.
Cuban says openly that he's working on nailing out an agreement with Kurt Angle and Randy Couture to get a fight put together, and while I think that the fight would be an utter embarrasment if it happens, I can't say that I'm surprised Cuban wants to put the fight together. I mean, people would pay money to see this fight, and if Cuban puts together fights people want to see, he'll establish himself as a force very, very quickly.
I do like that Cuban says that cards should be offered free, with the exception of a handful of pay-per-view events. I do agree that the UFC expecting people to pay $40 for a crappy card is ridiculous, but I also think that Cuban expecting to have a monopoly on the outlet puts him in as much trouble with anti-trust regulations as the UFC is. Still, I think that it's important to recognize that since Elite XC is coming through CBS and IFL is available on other outlets, he's not going to have a serious monopoly.
Now, I only have one sticking point with Cuban's interview. I just want to make a short note before I start on the issue I disagree with Cuban on. The fact that Cuban can't comment on the ongoing trial with the UFC over the fate of Randy Couture. Obviously, Cuban is the one that brought the suit, but I think it's important to recognize that the suit is ongoing and Cuban has the good sense not to comment on it.
My problem with the Cuban interview is his assertion about the "Inside MMA" rankings as the guide to who is really the top of MMA. There is no associated press in MMA, there is no coagulate rankings. The fact that MMA rankings are subjective and are intricated is what makes them interesting. I can't say that I agree with the prospect of using one source as a way of structuring his divisions. It's ridiculous.
Establishing a ladder is a single organization job, and the thought of giving a single media outlet control of structuring that ladder subjects it to the bias of the guys at "Inside MMA." While they're smart guys, I don't think that we should give them the freedom to establish the ladders on their own.
Belts are a system that allows for extra publicity and a sense of dominance within an organization and a set of rules, and the ladder is a system of seniority. While I don't think that the system is perfect, I think that suggesting handing all of that over to a single magazine is not an improvement.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
A New Day, A New Piece
So, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the upcoming fight between Michael Bisping and Charles McCarthy, not so much because I think it's a fight of the year candidate (but you never know), and more because I think that a fighter demonstrating that guys who drop down from 205 can have alot of success will attract the attention of guys who feel like they're being screwed in the lightheavyweight division.
I'm not going to name names...... okay, I will.
I think it's a little fucked up that Forrest Griffin gets a title shot still relatively soon after his loss to Jardine, while guys like Thiago Silva are just passed over. I know Forrest beat Shogun, but I'm shocked that essentially one fight has made him a title contender.
I'm not going to name names...... okay, I will.
I think it's a little fucked up that Forrest Griffin gets a title shot still relatively soon after his loss to Jardine, while guys like Thiago Silva are just passed over. I know Forrest beat Shogun, but I'm shocked that essentially one fight has made him a title contender.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Middleweight Rankings
I know that it's been a while since I've done a Rankings piece, but Sherdog released an updated look at their rankings (without, of course, changes in many of the divisions). While I agree that the lightheavyweight division and the heavyweight division have stayed pretty much the same, I think that the middleweight division requires some revision, and the ones that sherdog did seem inadequate to me (and frankly, a little ridiculous in some places). So I'll give you my look at the division.
1. Anderson Silva
2. Paulo Filho
3. Dan Henderson
In case people feel like Henderson's high rank, despite getting his ass whupped by Anderson, needs defense, I'll offer you an explanation. Frankly, he's made it farther with Anderson than anyone else, and the fact that Marquardt is ranked ahead of his by sherdog pisses me off a little. I know that they usually significantly drop the rank of fighters who have just lost, but I still think that Dan is the top guy in his division. I think that, if any of my rankings are suspect, it's my ranking of Filho, who's mental state is really questionable. Still, I like the guy and think he's a fantastic fighter, and if he can get past his depression and fight Sonnen then I think he'll continue to dominate the WEC.
4. Robbie Lawler
5. Yoshihiro Akiyama
I more or less agree with sherdog's explanation of why they are on the list, but I think that the fact that Marquardt is ranked 4 when he hasn't finished a fight in the first round since 2003 and both of his finishes recently (the chokeouts of Crafton Wallace and Jeremy Horn) were over guys that we aren't even calling top guys. He's beaten Lister, who's not ranked either. The only top tier guy he's fought destroyed him in 5 minutes. I think it's wrong that Marquardt's on the top five, and I feel the same way about Okami, who's finish over Evan Tanner was impressive, but Tanner himself is not a high ranking guy and his UD wins are not, in my mind, enough to make him more significant than Franklin. I think that they're places should be dropped and Akiyama and Lawler pushed up as a result.
6. Frank Trigg
7. Cung Le
Now Trigg's ranking is for the same reason as Akiyama's and Lawler's, but I feel that no one really seems to credit Trigg as a great fighter. His only losses are too top submission fighters and Robbie Lawler, who, in my mind, is one of the most destructive strikers in the division, behind Silva and neck-and-neck with one other fighter who I've slipped on to my rankings: Cung Le. I think that Le's fight with Frank Shamrock is a chance to prove himself as a technically destructive fighter who's done alot to cultivate his wrestling skills. If he beats Shamrock, and I think that there's a good chance he will, then he becomes one of the most respectable fighters in the smaller shows. Besides that, I think that Le's ranking makes sense as he's been consistent. That's not to say I usually reward guys for winning and everyone else losing, I usually expect more, but I think that Le's style has proven destructive to a degree that we must show some respect for, and I feel that this ranking does that adequately.
8. Kazuo Misaki
9 Rich Franklin
10. Travis Lutter
I feel that Misaki speaks for himself. He's had an interesting couple of months, but his ranking still makes sense. Franklin and Lutter are the two guys (besides Henderson) who managed to survive two rounds with Anderson, so I feel that that, in part, justifies it. In terms of Franklin, we can't forget that he destroyed MacDonald and he dominated Okami for two rounds (he did have some trouble at the end of that fight and exposed a problem in his submission game, but still came out on top). I don't think that two losses against the top guy in the sport should diminish his rank more than the guys who only lost once. It didn't do that to Nogueira. As for Lutter, he had the weight problem with Silva, but that makes his performance, in my mind, a little more impressive than people think it was. Then there's the fact that he smashed Patrick Cote, who's proven to be much better than people suspected as well. I think Lutter deserves this spot more than Santiago (though that's arguable), and alot more than Marquardt and Okami, who really haven't finished anyone I think of as a top-of-the-pack guy in the UFC. In defense of leaving Santiago off, I feel that his losses to Belcher and Leben are still relatively recent, and that his more recent wins don't necessarily prove that he's on an entirely different level.
Hope that makes some sense to people.
1. Anderson Silva
2. Paulo Filho
3. Dan Henderson
In case people feel like Henderson's high rank, despite getting his ass whupped by Anderson, needs defense, I'll offer you an explanation. Frankly, he's made it farther with Anderson than anyone else, and the fact that Marquardt is ranked ahead of his by sherdog pisses me off a little. I know that they usually significantly drop the rank of fighters who have just lost, but I still think that Dan is the top guy in his division. I think that, if any of my rankings are suspect, it's my ranking of Filho, who's mental state is really questionable. Still, I like the guy and think he's a fantastic fighter, and if he can get past his depression and fight Sonnen then I think he'll continue to dominate the WEC.
4. Robbie Lawler
5. Yoshihiro Akiyama
I more or less agree with sherdog's explanation of why they are on the list, but I think that the fact that Marquardt is ranked 4 when he hasn't finished a fight in the first round since 2003 and both of his finishes recently (the chokeouts of Crafton Wallace and Jeremy Horn) were over guys that we aren't even calling top guys. He's beaten Lister, who's not ranked either. The only top tier guy he's fought destroyed him in 5 minutes. I think it's wrong that Marquardt's on the top five, and I feel the same way about Okami, who's finish over Evan Tanner was impressive, but Tanner himself is not a high ranking guy and his UD wins are not, in my mind, enough to make him more significant than Franklin. I think that they're places should be dropped and Akiyama and Lawler pushed up as a result.
6. Frank Trigg
7. Cung Le
Now Trigg's ranking is for the same reason as Akiyama's and Lawler's, but I feel that no one really seems to credit Trigg as a great fighter. His only losses are too top submission fighters and Robbie Lawler, who, in my mind, is one of the most destructive strikers in the division, behind Silva and neck-and-neck with one other fighter who I've slipped on to my rankings: Cung Le. I think that Le's fight with Frank Shamrock is a chance to prove himself as a technically destructive fighter who's done alot to cultivate his wrestling skills. If he beats Shamrock, and I think that there's a good chance he will, then he becomes one of the most respectable fighters in the smaller shows. Besides that, I think that Le's ranking makes sense as he's been consistent. That's not to say I usually reward guys for winning and everyone else losing, I usually expect more, but I think that Le's style has proven destructive to a degree that we must show some respect for, and I feel that this ranking does that adequately.
8. Kazuo Misaki
9 Rich Franklin
10. Travis Lutter
I feel that Misaki speaks for himself. He's had an interesting couple of months, but his ranking still makes sense. Franklin and Lutter are the two guys (besides Henderson) who managed to survive two rounds with Anderson, so I feel that that, in part, justifies it. In terms of Franklin, we can't forget that he destroyed MacDonald and he dominated Okami for two rounds (he did have some trouble at the end of that fight and exposed a problem in his submission game, but still came out on top). I don't think that two losses against the top guy in the sport should diminish his rank more than the guys who only lost once. It didn't do that to Nogueira. As for Lutter, he had the weight problem with Silva, but that makes his performance, in my mind, a little more impressive than people think it was. Then there's the fact that he smashed Patrick Cote, who's proven to be much better than people suspected as well. I think Lutter deserves this spot more than Santiago (though that's arguable), and alot more than Marquardt and Okami, who really haven't finished anyone I think of as a top-of-the-pack guy in the UFC. In defense of leaving Santiago off, I feel that his losses to Belcher and Leben are still relatively recent, and that his more recent wins don't necessarily prove that he's on an entirely different level.
Hope that makes some sense to people.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
DREAM Results: Will Result in Many Puns
Well, it wasn't a great night, and I won't trouble you with the puns until I publish my official study of the results with mmaopinion.
Still, here are the results.
Ikuhia Minowa defeats Bum Chang Kang via kneebar submission at 1:25 in the first.
Hayato Sakurai defeats Hidetaka Monma with a 4:12 TKO.
Joachim Hansen pulls out the Unanimous decision over Kotetsu Boku.
Luiz Firmino chokes out Kazuyuki Miyata at 7:37.
Katsuhiro Nagata defeats Artur Oumakahnov (yes, I posted his name; it's too damn hard to type) via Unanimous decision.
Mitsuhiro Ishida beats Bu Kyung Jung by Unanimous decision.
Mirko "CroCop" Filipovic demolishes Tatsuya Mizuno in an epic 56 second TKO ass whupping.
Eddie Alvarez beats Andrei "Dida" Amade with strikes at 6:47.
Tatsuya Kawajiri beat Kultar Gill with a unanimous decision.
The main event went a less-than-epic 3:46 seconds before being declared a decisive no-decision.
Still, here are the results.
Ikuhia Minowa defeats Bum Chang Kang via kneebar submission at 1:25 in the first.
Hayato Sakurai defeats Hidetaka Monma with a 4:12 TKO.
Joachim Hansen pulls out the Unanimous decision over Kotetsu Boku.
Luiz Firmino chokes out Kazuyuki Miyata at 7:37.
Katsuhiro Nagata defeats Artur Oumakahnov (yes, I posted his name; it's too damn hard to type) via Unanimous decision.
Mitsuhiro Ishida beats Bu Kyung Jung by Unanimous decision.
Mirko "CroCop" Filipovic demolishes Tatsuya Mizuno in an epic 56 second TKO ass whupping.
Eddie Alvarez beats Andrei "Dida" Amade with strikes at 6:47.
Tatsuya Kawajiri beat Kultar Gill with a unanimous decision.
The main event went a less-than-epic 3:46 seconds before being declared a decisive no-decision.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
