With the permission of Brent Brookhouse I am here officially propose the challenge left in the comments of yesterdays "MMA Community's Attitude Toward Women" thread.

 

I have been an MMAmania regular for approximately two years and over that time have enjoyed the back and forth between our two community's. Some of you ignore or deny the existence of a rivalry while others enjoy taking shots at our comment sections, staff opinions, lack of moderation, treatment of the opposite sex, and website as a whole. Every now and then some covert ops will cross the boundary and confront the opposition, usually resulting in the wrath of your almighty and beloved Ban Hammer, or on the rare occasion you fine folk come play in our gutter, the results tend to be a lot of fun as in the case of one BlackLesnar. Just as you look down upon us we too mock the differences we see, ranging from green comments to over moderation and lack of non mma conversation. Bottom line, there are differences and that's why there are two sites. The one thing that we do not understand is your belief that you are in fact more knowledgeable about the sport we all love. Example below.

 

Given the content of the comment sections over there, this should be no sweat. I don’t mind trowing a few stones into the shallow end of the gene pool. - MostDiabolicalHater

Not sure what trowing is, but I get it. Because we tend to veer of course in our threads and disregard our grammar we therefor must not know anything about mma. Well it's time for you to prove this one. I've noticed you have a betting game some of you take part in every event, and we also have something called the "money pool" where we do the same. This is a formal challenge for our two community's to prove once and for all whose got the goods.

 

More details after the jump.

Continue reading this post »

 

   
  

 

Ulf Murphy – There seems to still be so much speculation around your dismissal from the UFC, so much that a lot of fans feel they don’t know, could you tell us what really happened with your dismissal from the UFC?

Gerald Harris: Just a bad performance from my understanding, there's a small room for error when your an up and coming fighter. I was already walking a thin line because I didn't win TUF 7, so I needed to make the most of my opportunities and unfortunately I didn't.

Thorazine - Falcao stated you tapped on 3 different occasions at UFC 123, you say you didn’t, in the last few seconds of the 1st round it appeared you had difficulty suppressing a tap from the RNC, is that what happened? You heavily criticized your own game plan for the falcao fight, who was involved in implementing it and what would you have done differently?

Gerald Harris: I have never wanted to or pretended to tap during any fight in my career. I do believe that reaching for the wrist defense and shaking my hand "thumbs up" to the ref could have easily been mistaken for that. You'd have to re-watch the fight to understand what I'm saying. That would be a huge dishonor to my BJJ coach and team and I wouldn't disgrace them in that way.

(in reference to the falcao game plan)  I'll keep that to myself, but it was just a snowball effect of bad things, but I didn't quit. I just didn't fight smart and paid the price for it - that's all.

magicmike - After not getting a fight on the finale after your TUF season, you lobbied Dana to give you another shot. Do you see yourself doing something similar after this dismissal, or are you cutting ties with the UFC for good?

Gerald Harris: Not winning TUF 7 was a blessing because I wasn't ready for the UFC. I'm a totally different fighter now and in a different position than I was in the first release. I'm focused on improving and winning fights, but my future is determined day to day. At the age of 31 there's no room for bouncing around between organizations, so wherever I end up is where I will retire.

DetroitDrew – I recall almost immediately after the loss in Detroit most were predicting you would be snatched up in no time by either Strikeforce or Bellator, yet you already have your second fight scheduled with a smaller promotion. Were you surprised that Strikeforce publically stated they were not interested; sighting a new direction to not sign UFC fighters coming off of loses despite having recently signed Daley? 

Gerald Harris: People took Cokers words out of context, he simply stated that he doesn't want to be a dumping ground for any organizations. They have enough MW's and are not in need of new talent right now, so I agree with what he said.

 

 

Deuce02 - With which team do you feel you have progressed the most as a fighter? What were some of the differences between Team Quest, AZ Combat Sports and Grudge? Do you think you have found a permanent home at Grudge?

Gerald Harris: Grudge is my team, but I train in Oklahoma with Ghost Dog Boxing - they are responsible for my growth in MMA. All the other teams added pieces to my skill set, but Ghost Dog is where I train 90% of the time. It's a bonus to be taken into the Grudge family because I get to train with some amazing partners.

*Californication* - You came into the fight game from the stand up comedic scene, what made you decide to make such a seemingly odd transition, and is stand-up something you ever see yourself doing again? 

Gerald Harris: I love comedy and still plan on performing. It's a test of your true character, because your on the stage alone - similar to mma. There's no help, just you and the mic. I would love to get into acting when I retire from mma - similar to Jamie Fox, Will Smith, and Kevin James.

TheGreg - In your TUF fight with Amir, you protested vehemently following the ref stoppage stating that you were never out. After watching the fight do you still think the stoppage was premature? And has it changed the way you address the referee during the pre-fight instructions in the locker room (i.e. do you ask them to make sure you’re really out before stopping a fight)?

Gerald Harris: Damn, you guys like pulling scabs off of old wounds huh? Lol, I wasn't out, but he caught me pretty good. It's not the referee's responsibility to block strikes for me. I'd rather have an early stoppage and fight again soon than be possibly injured. It's a negatively viewed but positive aspect of our sport - in MMA fighters who can't defend themselves are protected by the referee to limit brain damage and other injuries.

 

 

Yan117 - Despite the decision that didn’t go your way, the fight against Fabio Leopoldo must have done wonders for your self-confidence in sub defense. You fought all of his numerous attempts off and you kept taking him down as if he was no threat. Were you at any time in trouble in that fight?

Gerald Harris: I didn't even know what a knee bar was when I fought Leopoldo. I was basically training in my garage with a heavy bag and coaching high school wrestling practices. I was a raw talent and it's allowed me many victories that the average fighter couldn't get. I was in a lot of trouble that fight, but never close to being finished. I'll never understand that loss especially since I dropped him with a 1-2 combo in the 3rd. I gained a lot of exposure in the fight.

DetroitDrew – Do you feel UFC and even Strikeforce fighters are underpaid in comparison to the profits those organizations bring in? Do you feel that fighter’s contracts should include year round healthcare to cover injuries that occur during training, and how do you think a fighter union would affect the sport?

Gerald Harris: No - No - No - and a union could help or really hurt the sport. I consider these jobs as being underpaid - policemen, teachers, firemen, and military jobs are being cut daily - but fighters are responsible for winning, entertaining, and marketing themselves to make money. Spend it wise and you can afford health care, bills, and other responsibilities. Even if you're cut from this job, there are many opportunities out there to be successful.

TheGreg/ David W-S - You’re scheduled to face Anthony Ruiz on May 5th. Even though you match up well with him stylistically (since his strength is his striking), are you doing anything differently in training after losing your last two fights?

Gerald Harris: That's a secret - Anthony is a very experienced opponent and trains with one of the best teams in the world. For me to give up my game plan is like a football team sending their playbook to the opponents coaching staff. You'll have to tune in to see.................

  I appreciate my fans and your continued support. Please keep your eyes on my website (http://HurricaneHarris.com/) and my facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/GeraldHarrisMMA) for future news and announcements. I'm also on Twitter at twitter.com/ghurricane

 

 

 

 

 

Fans Interview Fighters is back again, and this time with our 5th installment featuring Gerald Harris. Considering this past year no fighter that comes to mind has experienced both the highs and the lows of "The Hurricane". After being all but ignored since his loss to Amir Sadollah on TUF 7, Gerald burst onto the UFC scene beginning 2010 with three consecutive wins, including a highlight reel KO via slam of Dave Branch that was heard across the country. The Sportscenter top 10 finish catapulted Gerald into main card stardom at UFC 123 in Detroit where I sat 6th row lower bowl and would witness the tables turn first hand as Gerald lost a lackluster decision to UFC newcomer Maiquel Falcao. The performance which exhibited little to remind fans of the fighter who so recently won two KO of the night bonus’s resulted in his controversial dismissal from the company. You could make the argument that no Zuffa firing in 2010 was more surprising, surrounded by more speculation, or was second guessed as adamantly as the decision to part ways with Gerald after his first loss in the octagon.

     This past weekend Gerald set out to take the first steps of his journey back to the top of the mountain, but stumbled as he lost a scarcely reported decision to James Head at Xtreme Fight Night at the Tulsa Hard Rock Café. It is also being reported that Gerald’s next fight is already scheduled for 5/5/11 where he will combat journeyman Anthony Ruiz at Tachi Palace Fights 9.

     FYI, the last interview got a little long as I tried to squeeze in as many questions as I could with our new addition of galsguidetomma.com. This interview will have nowhere near that many questions chosen so if you wish to participate please submit your best questions and understand that I simply won’t have room to get everyone in. With mmaforreal.com and watchkalibrun.com both going under we will be including fellow sbnation site cagesideseats.com on a permanent basis as the third site involved.

     As always if you've read this far I beg of you to please post your comment in the form of a question to save me time on editing. Please do not put half the question in the title of your comment and the other half in the body. Put the whole question in the body of the comment.

 

  

 

 

 

DrunkinMidget187 - You went 3-2 in your last run in the UFC, with only one definitive loss and finishing two of your wins. You are 3-0 all by stoppage since. Do you think the 155 lbs division in the UFC is the widest talent pool in the UFC, and do you think your return may be delayed due to so many 155ers being on the roster?

Din - 155 has always had the deepest talent pool and the best fighters. Think about it, if you look at any other division, there’s like 4 or 5 guys that truly stand ahead of the pack and the rest are just kind of battling it out. 155 has about 15 - 20 guys ahead of the pack. When you consider that even the current champ at 155 has been the underdog in his last 3 fights, that has to say something about the division. Additionally 155 fighters seem to be the only fighters that can fight competitively and excel (in general) in multiple weight classes.

Thorazine - After the Josh Neer fight why weren’t you invited to the WEC at 145lbs?

Din - After the Neer fight, I was in desperate need of a break. Even though my frequency of fighting wasn't always so frequent, I have been able to maintain longevity in mma because I knew when to break, hit the drawing board, and reinvent myself. I have always maintained a good relationship with WEC and could have lobbied to get into that organization immediately. But I chose not to in order to go back in the lab and prepare more. Im in no hurry.


Jrandolph - In your 13 years, was there ever a time you seriously considered walking away from the sport?

Din - In 13 years, I considered walking away from MMA, probably….everyday. But it’s like crack. It just keeps calling you back.

RachHeartsMMA - Do you think you’ll ever go back to lightweight? (DetroitDrew adds) Or do you see your best chance to return to the UFC being @ 145lbs? (Thorazine adds) do you use an IV bag to re-hydrate and about how many MMA fighters do so? (Judopei adds) What is your walk around weight? Basically asking what do you cut?

Din - Right now, Im walking at close to 170lbs. With my style of fighting I don't see me competing at 155lbs. Competing makes more sense for me at 145lbs. With my frame, I am just hard to deal with for guys at that weight. In the past, I have used an IV to rehydrate. Almost every fighter that I know (that cuts more than 15lbs) uses an IV to rehydrate. As far as my cutting process, I always found it best to start my cut at 160lbs. So right now, Im a fat ass.

Bigger Zino - Does dropping to 145lbs allow you compete at a higher level? In the Florian fight you tore up your knee pretty bad and I’m wondering if you’re still living with pain from that injury and if this drop in weight played any role in the decision? (Ulf Murphy adds) What was the first thought in your head upon blowing out your knee against Kenny Florian? (satarma adds) Would you like to have a shot at Florian again, to avenge that loss?

Din - Dropping to 145 doesn’t allow me to ‘compete’ at a higher level. I can compete at a high level of any weight. My training and style allows me to do so. For instance, ATT main academy sometimes splits the training sessions up by weights, I can get in and work with anybody, regardless of weight. But I could never dominate and higher weight class. I think we saw that on my season of TUF. I was competitive with Chris Lytle, but I couldn’t dominate him. As for the Florian fight, I tore my meniscus. It was the 3rd time that I did it. When it happened, the only thing that popped into my head was, "NOT AGAIN!" Since that fight, I have been to Boston numerous times and developed quite the friendship with Kenny. I have stayed at his house to help him train for fights. Im one of his biggest fans.

 

Puck Head - Prior to the fight being canceled vs Ricardo Mayorga a fight I was looking forward too, you two had a heated pre fight press conference were Mayorga blew smoke in your face and gave you a quick chop to the neck were it appeared you were in a little bit of Pain could you let us know WTF went down and your thoughts on Mayorga as a fighter and person? Now that the fight is not happening it is easy to say this or that would have happened but how did you see the fight with Mayorga going down? And do you believe boxers have much of a chance in MMA with limited ground skills? (satarma adds) If it were absolutely guaranteed to happen, would you still take a fight with Mayorga?

Din - I remember that as soon as the press conference was released, everybody started asking me if I was ok from the slap. I didn’t know what they were talking about. I had to wait a whole day to watch it because I was stuck in NY with no computer. He barely grazed my face and I was looking to shoot on him immediately. Had that bouncer not been there, we would all be talking about how Mayorga got choked out in a press conference. I don’t really know Mayorga as a person. But I have a lot of respect for him. He had his mother and family at the fight and had a lot of people that cared about him next to him. He couldn’t be that bad of a guy and have so many supporters around him. In the event of a fight with him in the future, I would love to fight him. But I doubt it will ever happen. And for the record, anybody with no ground skills, whether a boxer, kickboxer, streetfighter, etc, will have very little success in MMA. YOU NEED A GROUND GAME. .

 

 

DetroitDrew - Din what are your thoughts on the rumors that Nick Diaz is trying set up a boxing match with Ricardo Mayorga?

Din - That could be interesting.

LJ - Din- Will you please drag Mayweather into the octagon and whoop his ass for all of us?!?!?

Din - I have been trying.

Ulf Murphy - You haven’t fought professionally in over a year. When is your next fight?

Din - My last fight was January, 2010. Since then I was scheduled to fight Mayorga in March. Then that was pushed back to April. Then pushed back to May. Then it was ultimately canceled. After that, I was scheduled to fight in the WEF. A week before the fight, it was called off. They couldn’t find a quality opponent in a week’s time. So me not fighting in a year wasn’t really my fault. I should have fought twice since my last fight. But what it did was opened my eyes to my life. Most people don’t realize the sacrifices a fighter makes to prepare and compete at a high level. You don’t just show up and fight when you want. It takes months of physical and mental preparation. And while you are preparing, you are sacrificing time, money, relationships, and life in general. So while I wasn’t able to compete last year, I still spent 6 months preparing as if I was competing. By putting your life on hold like that, a lot of things suffer: my schools, my relationships, and my money. As of now, Im not fighting until I put myself in a position to afford to train and fight as a professional hobbyist. Im not a 20 year old, broke, up and comer, looking to make a name. Im a 34 year old, broke, veteran, looking to keep a name – LOL.

IrishKev - At 34 years old and having over 30 fights, do you feel you have the skills and experience to rule the 145 division against the younger guys like Aldo, Grispi, Hominick etc. (ricky~dooby adds) What is your prediction on the Jose Aldo/ Mark Hominick fight?

Din - Without a doubt, I do. Generally the talent is deepest amongst younger fighters. But the best fighters are early 30’s or pushing 30. Im about the same age as Anderson. Plus we look alike so watch out. As for the Aldo/Hominick fight. This fight could be a little different since this is the first kickboxer based opponent we’ve seen Aldo fight. This could force Aldo to use his other skills. Or we will see if he is so far advanced athletically from everybody else, that he just gets the job done. Its interesting. But I still see Aldo retaining his belt. Not to take anything away from Hominick. He is a sharp, solid fighter with a tremendous work ethic and big heart. But not sure he has what it takes to beat Aldo.

JamPark - Who would your dream fight be against and why?

Din - The fan in the 4th row of every fight that keeps yelling, "Stand up and fight like a man, you pussy!"

ViolentMike - At UFC 41 when you fought Matt Serra, what were your first thoughts when the score cards were read? Did you feel that you won the fight? Or did you think that the fight was close enough to go either way? Also, who delivered the message to you that one of the judges made an error on the score card and you actually won the fight by split decision and how did that conversation go?

Din - I was %100 convinced that I won that fight. We came up with a game plan for that fight and I felt I executed it beautifully. I didn’t know how I could have lost because I never got hit really and didn’t get taken down until 10 seconds left in the 3rd round. I didn’t know what could have went wrong. I was confused more than anything. Then when I went to the back, Dana White came right in and told me I won. At first, I thought he was just giving me his opinion. But he was, indeed, telling me that I won. My crew got excited. But I was still left with a bad taste. Part of the glory of winning is getting your hand raised. I was robbed of that. Me and Matt joke about that all the time. To this day, he won that fight. haha

Thorazine - You beat Clay Guida in 2007 are you surprised with his success in the 155lb UFC Division?

Din - No I’m not. Clay is a spectacular fighter and a good student of the game. He learns and improves every time. I’m not surprised with his success. I’m really very happy for him. I love when guys do well in their career.

 

Ulf Murphy - Would you encourage your son to become a professional mixed martial artist? Why? Why not?

Din - I don’t really care what my son does as long as he does it with passion and with 100% effort. He can walk in the room right now and tell me he wants to be a florist. I’ll tell him to take his little ass outside and start picking flowers because he better be the best florist on the block.

Thorazine - When you were arrested in Oct of 2007 in Florida for holding an illegal fight, how shocked were you when it happened? (Of course you were cleared 1 month later.)

Din - I was pretty shocked. Smokers happen everywhere…everywhere. In fact, we had police officers in attendance. I’ve been to smokers that had police officers fighting. I felt like I was being singled out and taken advantage of from a lack of activity in my area. I must be careful and trust no one because you just never know. But what was even more shocking is the "so called" fans that still think I was holding underground, illegal fights in a warehouse. That is disheartening.

Diceman - What is the most difficult thing about training, to you? What is your favorite part of training?

Din - I love training. I love training more than anything in the world really. Training for fights is difficult though. Training to train is different from training for a fight. Training for a fight is only fun for the middle month of a 3 month camp. The first month sucks because you are still adjusting and probably not in that good of shape. The last month sucks because you are so sick of doing the same moves over and over and over again. But the middle of a fight camp can’t be topped.

satarma - Din, is the anti-bullying seminar you held something that you’ll do again, perhaps on a regular basis? Or was that a onetime thing?

Din - I may do that anti-bully seminar annually. I am planning other free community seminars as well. Ricardo Liborio wants me to help him do an anti bully seminar at the main academy in Coconut Creek.

Dakatak/Thorazine - It is well known that a majority of MMA Fighters will not be able to financially retire after fighting, what are your long-term goals/plans after fighting? What do you see yourself doing after you retire? (Deuce adds) I’ve read that you have 2 gyms, is this true? Talk a little about your relationship with ATT and how they feel about you operating your own gym(s). Do the guys at ATT see this as a positive thing, or does the situation become awkward in some instances? Do you ever have the opportunity to bring over guys from ATT to work with students at your gym? Do you train strictly at ATT for your fights, or do you also train at your gym(s) as well? (Thorazine adds) Are you still with American Top Team and who are your main training partners?

Din - Yes, I own 2 ATT gyms, one in Port St. Lucie, Fl and the other in Stuart, Fl. I’m also the head instructor at the ATT in Longwood, Fl. As I stated in an early question, you can see how preparing for fights all the time can put a strain on some things at my schools. I do not run my schools like most schools. I have structures and systems that require a lot of attention, focus, and manpower to run them. Luckily for me I have a great staff that does a good job for me when I can’t be there. My relationship with other ATT schools and fighters has always been amazing. A lot of other school owners ask me for advice sometimes. The fighters miss me sometimes because I don’t get to train with them too often. I miss that too. In the past, I’ve had some fighters come up. But now most of them are just so busy that its difficult. Same as I can’t go down there to help them train, they can’t come up to make appearances at my schools. But the love is still there. I’m getting excited just thinking about training with my boys. We have some epic battles. Here’s a few guys that I just love working with and the feeling is mutual, I’m sure: Gleison Tibau, Mike Brown, Thiago Alves, Yves Edwards, Tyron Woodley, Micah Miller, Jorge Masvidal, Rich Attonito, Luigi Fiorivante, Ben Saunders, and JZ Calvalcanti. I do train abroad and outside of ATT when I get a chance. I’ve had some good times with Kenny Florian, Eddie Alvarez, Ben Askren, and others. I’m coming to see you soon too. But right now my focus is my students. In addition to that, I just started doing improv and I’m still commentating and just staying as busy as I can in whatever I can do to help.

 

 

 (Promoted to the front page by Satarma)

    

     Fans Interview Fighters is back with our 4th installment. This time we have secured Featherweight Din Thomas. Din recently dropped down to 145lb's after his last run in the UFC and is on a 3 fight win streak. Before dropping down Din fought a whose who of the lightweight division including BJ Penn, Jens Pulver, Caol Uno, Clay Guida, Kenny Florian, Jeremy Stephens and Josh Neer. Din was a participant on The Ultimate Fighter season 4,  was also involved in a botched mma vs boxing showdown with Ricardo Mayorga last year that fell victim to the rath of Don King at the last minute, and has acted in multiple independent films. Din has a career record of 25-8. Din is the first fighter in this series who is not currently under contract with a major promotion. Is that by choice after winning 3 in a row considering the UFC's recent addition of the FW division, or is he still waiting for that call? Let’s ask him and find out.     

    If you've read this far I beg of you to please post your comment in the form of a question to save me time on editing. Please do not put half the question in the title of your comment and the other half in the body. Put the whole question in the body of the comment. Also if you are posting multiple questions but really hope that one of them is chosen feel free to indicate which one, you could keep it simple and just add a * before that question.

That's because the "Demolition Man" planned to fight Fabricio Werdum next, but now that he's on shelf with an injury until early 2011, he tells MMAFighting.com that things have changed:

"I'm going to fight in the K-1 tournament, so my first fight will be October for the Final 16 in Korea. If I win the fight, I will advance to the Final 8 in Japan. That fight will be in December. I've stated many times that Strikeforce was my number one priority, but after Fedor lost to Werdum, I had no intention of fighting somebody other than Werdum. I came to the States to challenge the winner of the fight and that was Werdum, so no need to fight somebody else. Furthermore, I like K-1 very much and there are not many opportunities to stay fighting in K-1, so I want to fight if I still can. One of my goals is to be K-1 champion and this is my chance."

The Strikeforce heavyweight champion adds more intrigue, saying the announcement released today by M-1 Global is nothing but Russian smoke and mirrors:

"My decision was made because nothing was certain and Strikeforce and M-1 didn't act fast enough when I made my decision to start K-1 training. Now I read on the internet that Fedor and his management want to fight me all of sudden. Do they really need two months of thinking and negotiating? I think it's a little strange to be honest. If Fedor challenged me right after the fight it would have been something to take in consideration, but the M-1 management started to say that all the polls on several websites stated that people rather have a Fedor vs. Werdum rematch then a fight against me. There we have another lie by M-1 because every poll I have read stated the opposite and showed that everybody want to see Fedor versus me. Check their current poll at their own Web site (laughs)."

The good news (if you can call it that)? Overeem does not rule out the possibility of someday fighting the elusive "Last Emperor:"

If Fedor stays in Strikeforce and beats Antonio Silva and I win my fight against Werdum, then there is a big possibility that I will face him. So I still think I will meet him in the cage eventually.... If Fedor stays in Strikeforce and beats Antonio Silva and I win my fight against Werdum, then there is a big possibility that I will face him. So I still think I will meet him in the cage eventually.... [M-1 Global] has a different mentality and culture ... I have the feeling that Fedor doesn't know what M-1 is demanding behind his back. I don't want to go in to details so I won't. All I can say is never have I witnessed a management manipulating and using the amount of tricks as Fedor's management has done.... So now I will move on and focus on my own career."

Ho-hum.

Just saw the odds pop up for Machida/Rampage and it looks like Vegas agrees with most of us and Machida is a heavy favorite at -275/+215. Keep in mind JDS/Big Country is at -290/+230, so vegas feels Big Country has almost as good of a chance of pulling off the Upset as Rampage!

 

Tito/Hamill odds after the jump.

Poll

Which underdog gets your $$$?

2%

Takanori Gomi +215 (Tyson Griffin -275)

2 votes

2%

Vladimir Matyushenko +425 (Jon Jones -625)

2 votes

10%

Matt Hughes +125 (Ricardo Almeida -155)

7 votes

4%

Roy Nelson +230 (JDS -290)

3 votes

10%

Chael Sonnen +300 (Anderson Silva -500)

7 votes

4%

James Toney +350 (Randy Couture -550)

3 votes

1%

Gray Maynard +115 (Kenny Florian -145)

1 votes

2%

Frankie Edgar +260 (BJ Penn -340)

2 votes

5%

Matt Sera +110 (Chris Lytle -140)

4 votes

0%

Lil Nog +135 (Ryan Bader -165)

0 votes

4%

Big Nog +165 (Frank Mir -205)

3 votes

5%

Carlos Condit +125 (Dan Hardy -155)

4 votes

15%

Yoshihiro Akiyama +190 (Michael Bisping -240)

11 votes

5%

Tito Ortiz +120 (Matt Hamill -150)

4 votes

5%

Martin Kampmann +235 (Jake Sheilds -295)

4 votes

7%

Rampage jackson +215 (Lyoto Machida -275)

5 votes

7%

Cain Velasquesz +125 (Brock Lesnar -155)

5 votes

2%

Josh Koscheck +285 (GSP -365)

2 votes

1%

Other (please comment who your other is)

1 votes

70 votes | Poll has closed

Continue reading this post »

 

Brock Lesnar's 6th fight was booked as the biggest in UFC history despite the relative inexperience of both fighters. We saw Brock tested, we saw him pushed to the limit. He was hanging on by a finger and managed to pull himself back up and climbed to the top of the mountain mere minutes later. Many saw the outcome as a true measure of heart, an improved submission game, and a testament to the albino gorilla’s chin. But what about that striking game? Was Carwins power something that he couldnt have prepared for and still managed to overcome, or has the champs true weakness been exposed? I myself was eager to see some of my many questions answered and I found it very interesting to read the changed opinions of many after the fight. A lot of posters were giving Brock credit for the first time and all though they may not like him the majority seem to feel he finally deserves and has earned his place at the top of the division. As an avid Lesnar fan I found myself in uncharted territory. Even in Lesnars only loss he still dominated 95% of the fight, but this time he was man handled like a rag doll for the entire first round, most scored it 10-8 and i even saw a 10-7 on another web site. While many feel Carwin blew the best chance of beating Brock I still can't get past that 1st round. With that said i feel the year layoff did create a little ring rust and i do expect his striking to improve. Even if a weakness has been exposed i doubt Cain Velasquez is the one who will capitalize. I see JDS as a much bigger threat, but will Vegas agree?

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Brock Lesnar's 6th fight was booked as the biggest in UFC history despite the relative inexperience of both fighters. We saw Brock tested, we saw him pushed to the limit. He was hanging on by a finger and managed to pull himself back up and climbed to the top of the mountain mere minutes later. Many saw the outcome as a true measure of heart, an improved submission game, and a testament to the albino gorilla’s chin. But what about that striking game? Was Carwins power something that he couldnt have prepared for and still managed to overcome, or has the champs true weakness been exposed? I myself was eager to see some of my many questions answered and I found it very interesting to read the changed opinions of many after the fight. A lot of posters were giving Brock credit for the first time and all though they may not like him the majority seem to feel he finally deserves and has earned his place at the top of the division. As an avid Paintrain member i found myself in uncharted territory. Even in Lesnars only loss he still dominated 95% of the fight, but this time he was man handled like a rag doll for the entire first round, most scored it 10-8 and i even saw a 10-7 on that "other" web site. While many feel Carwin blew the best chance of beating Brock I still can't get past that 1st round. With that said i feel the year layoff did create a little ring rust and i do expect his striking to improve. Even if a weakness has been exposed i doubt Cain Velasquez is the one who will capitalize. I see JDS as a much bigger threat, but will Vegas agree?

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I was checking to see how far the odds dropped after the Shogun surgery announcement (rashad moved from +190 to +180 so far) and i noticed that sportsbook.com just released the early odds available for GSP/Kos at -365/+285.

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Greetings "Rivalry" posters. There are some big things happening in the Big 10 right now and i thought this would be the perfect blog to get some opinions across the board and not just from Sparty.

Poll

What would benefit the Big 10 more? Keeping Tom Izzo for decades or getting Notre Dame for a test drive?

49%

Notre Dame

29 votes

50%

Tom Izzo

30 votes

59 votes | Poll has closed

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There has been talk lately that Rampage would be a perfect fit in WWE, with his wrestling background and his "over the top" personality he, imo, is perfect WWE material. But would WWE want to promote a UFC star even if he stops fighting? Would Dana pull a Don King and drag this through the courts after Rampages new multi-fight contract?

 

Freind just forwarded me this from LordsofPain.net, check it out after the jump...

Poll

Will we see Rampage as a Wrestler in WWE?

35%

Rampage will fight on Raw

39 votes

15%

Yes, but not this time, wait until he retires. (again)

17 votes

41%

No, Dana wont let it happen while he is under contract with the UFC...

46 votes

8%

other (please comment)

9 votes

111 votes | Poll has closed

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 I work downtown and take the Madison St exit daily. This can create problems because the exit is on the left and i try not to go over 80mph (speed limit is 55mph here) and theres always some impatient Detroiter who seems to feel im slowing them down. Well today was a little different...

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I, like many of you, have never been more excited about the current HW division. I remember posting after the Cain/Nog fight that this would be the "year of the heavyweight" and so far things only look better. The latest peice of the puzzle fell perfectly in place when Frank Mir was dominated in a 1st round KO by Shane Carwin, both avoiding a dreaded by some Mir/Brock trilogy and making this the strongest top 5 in years. The combined records of Fedor, Cain, JDS, Brock, and Shane come to a staggering 67-3-1, including a controversial cut and 2 early career losses from JDS and Brock. It is clear that these near perfect records will not last much longer. The days of Unproven HW's seem to be all but over.

Poll

When will Fedor lose his #1 ranking.

6%

Brock Lesnar is the UFC champ and should already be the #1 ranked HW

18 votes

13%

The winner of Lesnar/Carwin will move up to the number 1 HW ranking.

36 votes

11%

The winner of Carwin/Lesnar vs Cain Velasquez will move into the #1 HW ranking.

31 votes

11%

When the winner of Lesnar/Carwin vs Cain faces off aginst JDS we will have a new #1 ranked HW.

29 votes

20%

Fedor will maintain his ranking until he signs with UFC and loses to one of the other HW's

54 votes

25%

Fedor will not lose again and will retire as the #1 ranked HW.

67 votes

7%

Fedor will lose to either Werdum, Barnett, or Alistair, resulting in a lower HW ranking.

20 votes

2%

other (please comment)

6 votes

261 votes | Poll has closed

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I've spent the past hour reading on "other" sites about the reasoning behind the UFC's removal of Dan Hardy's tattoo. I remember when the poster for ufc111 came out and the tattoo on Hardy's stomach had been removed. I didnt find out why until today.

Poll

Do you agree with the UFC's decision to remove Dan Hardy's tattoo from there UFC111 promotional material?

22%

yes

15 votes

77%

no

51 votes

66 votes | Poll has closed

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We have a lot of big fights coming up and upsets are unavoidable. With 3 major events happening in the next few weeks and even more to follow in the months after, the possibility of the rankings being shaken up is a safe bet. So who do you feel will pull off the upset? Maybe the cocky brit with the red mohawk is your long shot. You may want to play it safe and stick with the undefeated heavy handed engineer. Or maybe its time for a champion to lose there belt in a rematch from a controversial decision…

 

Poll

Who is going to pull off the upset?

8%

Paul Buentello (cheick kongo -500/+300)

6 votes

1%

Gabriel Gonzaga (JDS -325/+250)

1 votes

4%

Brandon Vera (Jon Jones -240/+190)

3 votes

12%

Shane Carwin (Frank Mir -160/+130)

9 votes

6%

Dan Hardy (GSP -650/+450)

5 votes

4%

Takanori Gomi (Kenny Florian -260/+200)

3 votes

10%

Stefan Struve (Roy Nelson -325/+250)

8 votes

5%

Renzo Gracie (Matt Hughes -550/+350)

4 votes

1%

Demian Maia (Anderson Silva -525/+325)

1 votes

1%

Frankie Edgar (BJ Penn -800/+500)

1 votes

18%

Paul Daley (Josh Koscheck -340/+260)

14 votes

10%

Mauricio Rua (Lyoto Machida -200/+160)

8 votes

4%

Forrest Griffin (Antonio Rogerio Nogueira -240/+190)

3 votes

10%

Rashad Evans (Quinten jackson -150/+120)

8 votes

0%

other (please specicify in your comment who your other is.)

0 votes

74 votes | Poll has closed

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 Multiple sites are reporting a twitter message from @jennajamison -

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There are a lot of big names who do not have a fight announced. This is shaping up to be an incredible year for mma and some of announcements should come soon and really set the coarse for the spring, there respected divisions, and even there orginizations. In the case of James Toney and Hershal Walker, there next opponent may even determine the direction of the entire sport... 

Poll

Which fighters next fight announcement are you anticipating the most.

16%

Brock lesnar

19 votes

21%

Fedor

25 votes

18%

James Toney

21 votes

0%

Hershal Walker

1 votes

13%

Cain Valasquez

16 votes

0%

Diego Sanchez

0 votes

6%

Nick Diaz

7 votes

0%

Melvin Manhoeff

0 votes

0%

Chris Cyborg

0 votes

3%

Wandi

4 votes

3%

Randy Coture

4 votes

4%

Rich Franklin

5 votes

0%

Chael Sonnen

0 votes

5%

George Sotiropoulas

6 votes

0%

other (please comment who your other is)

1 votes

5%

Vitor belfort

6 votes

115 votes | Poll has closed

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In light of James Toney's reported UFC signing i thought what better time to decide MMA's biggest freak show.

Poll

So whose the biggest freak show mania?

4%

James Toney

3 votes

8%

Kimbo Slice

6 votes

7%

Hong Man Choi

5 votes

1%

Hershal Walker

1 votes

43%

Jose Canseco

30 votes

7%

Butter Bean

5 votes

11%

Da Da 5000

8 votes

10%

Bob Sapp

7 votes

5%

Giant Silva

4 votes

69 votes | Poll has closed

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We maniacs are obviously passionate about this sport. What i have come to love since joining this site is that we are equally passionate (if not more) about what we hate about this sport. Anybody can stroke the ego of there favorite unbeaten or the current champ, but true maniacs can discredit even the highest in our sport, and also back it up with sound reasoning.

Poll

Who do you hate?

10%

Brock Lesnar

15 votes

0%

Fedor Emelianenko

0 votes

5%

Frank Mir

8 votes

0%

Shane Carwin

0 votes

0%

Cain Valasquez

1 votes

2%

GSP

4 votes

1%

Anderson Silva

2 votes

5%

BJ Penn

7 votes

5%

Matt Hughes

7 votes

2%

Chael Sonnen

3 votes

1%

Kimbo Slice

2 votes

0%

Mayhem Miller

0 votes

5%

Jake Sheilds

7 votes

7%

Tito Ortiz

10 votes

0%

Ken Shamrock

1 votes

0%

Alistair Overeem

1 votes

0%

Tank Abbott

0 votes

2%

Warmachine

3 votes

2%

Rampage Jackson

3 votes

10%

Michael Bisping

15 votes

0%

Dan Hardy

0 votes

0%

Heath Herring

0 votes

2%

Dana White

4 votes

0%

UFC

0 votes

0%

Strike Force

0 votes

12%

M-1

17 votes

0%

Georgetown MBA's

1 votes

0%

Other websites (particularly the one that rec's every comment causeing organized troll attacks)

1 votes

6%

Jamie Varner

9 votes

2%

Diego Sanchez

4 votes

2%

josh koscheck

4 votes

0%

mike goldberg

1 votes

6%

junie browning

9 votes

139 votes | Poll has closed

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