With a large group of mixed martial arts (MMA) fans (including B.J. Penn) claiming that the epic, five-round war between Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson, which took place at UFC 139 from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Nov. 19, 2011, is among the best battles ever, now is the perfect time to debate its competition.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White gushed that the 205-pound clash between "Shogun" and "Hendo" was "top three best fights ever in MMA, without a doubt." That's, unsurprisingly, a bold statement, but arguably inaccurate, considering that there have been countless MMA matches taking place across the globe for more than two decades now.

In fact, on the same night as UFC 139, Bellator's Eddie Alvarez vs. Michael Chandler, put on a show for the ages, a back-and-forth brawl that was arguably more exciting than the Rua-Henderson knock-down, drag-out brawl. However, it just didn't get the same love and attention because, well, it's not the UFC.

Regardless, there have been several amazing UFC fights in the past decade and the UFC 139 main event is certainly one of the very best. But, which other fights deserve to be ranked right up there with it?

My top five best UFC fights ever after the jump:

Continue reading this post »

via 3.cdn.nhle.com

       After 5 playoff battles over the span of 18 years its the Wings 2 and the sharks 3 what a suprise.  Although at the end of the day its the Wings 11 (Mr. Stanley) and San Jose with a big goose egg.  And to be fair since 91' when both teams existed we will say its the wings 4 san jose 0.

It was a valiant effort by SOME of the Wing players and it was fun to watch.  But from what I observed over the last couple of weeks I must say.

Hudler is a weasel; I hope they let him go.  Each time he was on the ice we might as well have been short handed.  I found myself surprisingly pleased with Babcock’s decision to let the weasel ride the bench after totally blowing his responsibility, but was then furious to see him playing and costing the team again in the 7th game.

I was critical of Howard since his rookie year and never cared much for him but he earned my respect with the way he played in these playoffs.  With the experience he has gained I'm looking forward to see an even stronger Howard next year

I never liked Babcock and I like him less with each passing day, the difference between a great coach and a good coach is what we saw from Bowman & what we see in Babcock, the wings were undisciplined taking bad penalties and that is reflective of their coach.  I don’t blame Abdelkader I blame Babcock.

 I never understood what the f**k Babcock is thinking putting fourth line players that average less than 12 min of ice time, on the PK in critical situations and for him to say in an interview that eaves and miller are the teams top pkillers is BS.  Why the hell is Zetterberg or datsuk or franzen not paired up with helm on the pk.

Rafalski played like sh*t, I wouldn’t mind seeing him traded 

Kronwall is the second best dman after nick and if nick comes back for another go around they should be paired up together on the top line.

And lastly what datsuk displayed to the entire hockey world is nothing less than remarkable, just when you think what else can he do..... he does the spectacular again.  He is the epitome of hard work, pure talent and excellence.  Even though the wings playoff run has ended datsuks efforts live on.  How rare is it when emmerick and olchyk are still clamoring over # 13 saying, "I just wish we could see him play more".  He was great in the reg season again stepped up in the post season when his team needed him (like a star player should) and at times a one man force carrying his entire team on his back.  I’m happy his contract is coming to an end shortly because not only does he deserve every penny of the millions he will get this year but he deserves to be one of the highest paid players in the league. 

via video.ufc.tv

When you think back to when a fighter manged to justify all the hype surrounding him you only have to go back to 2009 when the undefeated Lyoto Machida went on a tear capping off that run with the LHW title.  Just two years later Jon Jones is seemingly invincible as the NEw lightheavyweight champion.  And although Machida and Jones may have had similar paths in thier respective quests they couldnt be more dissimilar.

Out of machidas first five UFC bouts 4 were won  by unanimous decision to the likes of hoger, nakamura and david heath a few of which were unimpressive.  His unique style had fans polarized some describing it as elusive and effective while many others disliking it as hesitant to commit and not fan friendly. 

Mr Jones on the other hand has only needed the judges twice in his 8 UFC bouts.  All 7 wins have been impressive to say the least with jones employing techniques and manuevers MMA fans have never seen within the 8 sided proving ground.  He moves forward and is willing to engage with a diversified offense leaving opponents frustrated and overmatched.  If Anderson silva is the consensus p4p fighter then where does that leave Jon who has many of the same skills in addition to elite level wrestling.  Just to be clear I wanted shogun to knock Jon Jones head off but there is no denying that Jones will dominate fighters of all weights for many years unlike his predecesor Lyoto.  I have never seen the likes of jones, he has it all The size the reach the lengthy body type the strong wrestling  etc. etc. etc.  He is the new breed of fighters that will carry the sport into the next decade.  

AFter he makes the rest of the LHW contenders look like ametures like he did to shogun I believe he will be the first fighter ever to hold both the lhw & hw belts simultaneously.  Not only that but I believe Mr Jones can defeat any current HW (Valasquez, alistar, fedor).  I may not be a full JJ fan yet but I have no choice but to respect him for his remarkable skill and ability.

There is NO bigger fight in MMA right now than Jon Jones vs Anderson Silva.  But I dont think he or his manager wants anything to do with a true mma prodigy in Jones

The Ultimate gracie documentary took fans deep inside the minds of the Great Royce Gracie and his opponents.  But in doing so it left me with more questions.

What did Dan Severn mean when he talked about his fight with Royce, by saying.....

" I tell people I had trouble with my concience in that fight"

"I coudnt just ball up and come down with hammer fists, that I could not do" 

I dont get it what the hell does he mean, is he trying to say he couldnt hit him because he was afraid to hurt him or because he did not have the skills neccassary to mount an effective offence from his guard.  Someone please clarify.

I really hope Joe Silva is thinking what Im thinking and makes some of these match ups, because to me they make the most sense

First HW fight that I would love to see in early 2011 is.....
 

                                                                     VS

Noguria needs a big win and if he can hand Mr Lesnar his second straight defeat it would breath much needed life into his career.  Its an intresting match up to see if the slick HW can submit brock from the bottom or maybe even get the better of him striking.  A win for lesnar puts him in line for another crack at the belt.  Its a no brainer who die hard fans would be pulling for in this one

                                                                       VS

This fight makes sense for both guys, Mir coming off a lacklucter KO over Mirko (never thought I would say lackluster and KO in the same sentence).  and nelson proving he can hang with the best (so people think) after a hard fought UD loss to JDS.   Another intresting storyline for this match up is the grappling match win Nelson has over the former HW champ Mir.                                                                     

                                                                  VS 

 I want to se this fight for one reason so Carwin can do the MMA world a favor and expose Shaub for the can he is and send him tumbling back down the bottom of the HW division where he belongs.  Carwin needs a confidence builder and this warm up fight is the perfect match.

 Lastly..........

                                                       VS

I want to see kongo/ Rothwell so Ben can send Kongo packing out of not only the UFC but MMA.

What match ups do you guys want J Silva to make in the Heavy weight division.

One of the many aspects of pride that I loved was the 2 minute break, between rounds.  It gave the fighters a chance to get vital fluids, coaching instructions and a chance to recharge for that next round.   

Even though the UFC doesnt have that gruelling 10 minute first round I think the fighters would really benefit by having a 2 minute break verses the current 1 min break (which in reality is a third of the way over by the time they sit on the stool).   The breaks in Pride gave the fighters a chance to lower thier heart rate a bit and come out energized with less fatigue ultimately making for more enjoyable action in some cases.     

                                                                OR

For the first time in a loooong time I will have to go with boxing over MMA.

DVR will be reserved for 122

Watching pacauio is a pleasure the guy is so fast, so gifted and so technically sound.   With a win Pacuaio will have championship titles in 8 divisions.  Manny will definitely be the fan favorite over the infamous Margarito who was busted for illegal hand wraps in 2009 which resulted in a lengthy suspension.  The fight is also taking place at cowboys stadium which is a potential location for a future UFC card.  

 I dont know about you guys but when a so called fighter declines a fight or refuses a fight for any reason other than medical, it makes me sick to my stomach.

when I learned that Vera had turned down a fight with machida about a year ago any remaining respect i may have had for him was gone instantly.  A guy who claimed he would hold both the hw and lhw belts simultaneously to turn down what at the time was a huge oppurtunity toward getting a possible shot at the lhw belt was hypocricy.

Now we here about aldo, who first expressed intrest in fighting at 155 and trying to win that belt, gets a fastrack oppurtunity to the lw belt with being offered a top contender in florian, and instead of jumping on and siezing this huge oppurtunity he declines the fight. 

My personal feeling is if any fighter declines a fight he should be permenantley banned from p4p lists or discussion. 

I would like to know if im in the minority in my thinking and where you guys stand on the topic.  Below is a brief coversation I had with a couple of other maniacs, which inspired me to creat this fan post.

any fighter who declines a fight is permenantly banned from P4P lists or even discusions

by dia mette on Oct 27, 2010 12:35 AM EDT reply actions  

KenFlo is top 5. And Aldo fights in a lower weight class! Gtfo with this close-minded bs.

by Rivalution on Oct 27, 2010 12:37 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions  

so your telling me that your ok with having a fighter in a p4p list if he refuses fights

give me a break, the guy passed up a huge oppurtunity to begin cementing his legacy, i’ll pass on wtching this guy fight

true fighters dont refuse fights EVER, see if a legend like lidell ever turned down a fight

by dia mette on Oct 27, 2010 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions

What if he doesn't care about cementing legacy?

Maybe he wants to test him self, but actually knows how to do it. I doubt gsp would turn down a top mw if it was his first time in the division. Would you take gsp off the p4p list in the same situation?

by Rivalution on Oct 27, 2010 1:38 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions  

   if GSP refused a fight (which has never happened and will probably never happen) your damn right i would take him off a P4p list

by dia mette on Oct 27, 2010 1:41 AM EDT up reply actions  

if he doesnt care about cementing a legacy then hes in the wrong sport, go play soccor

by dia mette on Oct 27, 2010 1:45 AM EDT up reply actions  

I can get behind that. Unless its a fight with an opponent where theres nothing to gain of course

by snipersniper on Oct 27, 2010 1:09 AM EDT up reply actions  

you mean like when lidell got tired of waiting for tito to get the balls to face him and was scheduled to fight babalu in the meantime with eveything to lose

even if theres nothing to gain, a true fighter fights and smashes who ever they put in front of him, without ever refusing a fight, those are the kind of fighters that belong in p4p lists and become legends, not this guy

by dia mette on Oct 27, 2010 1:39 AM EDT up reply actions  

also ending is his # 1 ranking.    

Thank you Cain for exposing Lesnar to the masses.  And it only took him one round to do it.   Once lesnar threw eveything he had at cain in the first couple minutes and it didnt faze him he broke. 

cant wait to see all the brock lovers jump ship.   This is one of cains easiest fights dennis stojnic gave velasquez more of a fight.  I suspect brocks fan boys after they recover from tonight will come out supporting dos santos to beat cain.  BUT it aint ganna happen.

THE NEW ufc heavywieght champion CAIN VELASQUEZ.

I ve read before on this very site, the setiment from European fans who are upset about the theme of the cards the ufc gives them.  They stack the card with practically every uk fighter they have on the roster.  and in most cases they are matched up against non uk fighters.

With the complete domination of hathaway, frist rd KO of hardy, Mcsweeny's tko loss and wilks UD loss at 120, European fans should be estatic.  Now maybe they will start getting some quality cards with real MMA talent. 

Unfortunately for the uk fans bisping managed to pull off a decent UD victory so you will still get bisping shoved down your throats a little longer, but no worries Bisping is in line for a beating if he gets matched up with a Top five MW.  NO wonder hes calling out wanderlie silva he knows he can't beat any one of these guys.

via video.ufc.tv

via video.ufc.tv

via video.ufc.tv

via video.ufc.tv

via video.ufc.tv

I Know im greatful for what Condit & Pyle did at 120 maybe now I can enjoy a free card on spike that isnt filled with a bunch of mediocre uk fighters

Must see Fedor highlight video,  With footage early in fedors career.   Ita amazing to watch him transition from one martial art to another effortlessly even early in his career.   

His loss to verdum doesnt tarnish him one bit it actually further reinforces that hes always looking to finish the fight which is all a fan can ask for.

Its sucks that he is in limbo right now.   If i was told I could only watch 1 fighter compete I wouldnt even have to give it a second thought this is who i wanna watch

Fedor Emelianenko by Damien (via Damienhls)

props to the creator of the video who did an awsome job

When any one of these men are scheduled for a fight their is not a single fan of the sport, hard core or casual that would dare miss it.  Whether you buy tickets and attend, purchase the event on PPV or watch it on network / cable television every one watching will get exactly what they came to see.  Jaws will drop and spectators will be brought to thier feet time and time again.

And its no coincidence each one of these men are current or former champions.  I introduce to you the top five most exciting fighters ever to grace the cage, ring , octogon. 

At   # 5    the current UFC LHW champion Moricio shogun Rua.  He dominated his opponents in Pride with amazing muy tai knees soccer kicks and flying stomps to become the Pride Grand prix champion.  And even in japan he was able to bring the reserve crowd into a frenzy with his ferocious style.  WHen losing to griffin in his ufc debut in 2007 which was one of the best fights of that year it was thought that his loss was the byproduct of being deprived of performance enhancers.  But when a healthy physically fit shogun came back to finish lidell and hand machida his first ever loss fans where on thier feet chanting shoguns name.  Would you ever miss a shogun fight? 
 

At   # 4    the consensus best heavywieght fighter of all time the last emporer.  All he does is win decisively, the man is responsible for some of the most memorable moments in mma history.   Whether your a fan or not he delivers excitement everytime he fights.  Even in his first legitimate loss he got caught going for the finish, how many other fighters would have backed away not wanting to engage a world class BJJ black belt not Fedor.  Watching him perform is a pleasure and a luxury the like of which may never be seen again.  Would you ever miss a fedor fight?

 At    # 3    The fireball kid is not only exciting but explosive and has the ability to finish his opponent anywhere at anytime.  As the pride LW champion he gave fight fans full libraries of highlight reel Ko and submission victories. After being the first fighter to finish tyson griffin a rededicated Gomi is looking to bring some excitement to the UFC LW division.  Would you ever miss a Gomi fight?

At   # 2    Nick Diaz has never ever ever been in a boring fight.  The brash Stockton CA native doesnt know how to back pedal.  He brings it every time.  With all the great fights hes given to the fans its great to see him become the Strikeforce WW champion.  The DIaz/Gomi fight is one of the greatest fights to ever take place.  Who would dare miss a Nick DIaz fight?    

And finally laying claim to the   #1   most exciting fighter to ever compete in Mixed Martial Arts the one and only Wanderlie Silva.  Holding the longest win streak in MMA Silva is simply known as the axe murderer.   He  is revered by fellow fighters and loved by fans.  Win lose or draw fans rise and applaude the sacrifice of this elite battle tested pride & UFC vetern.  When competing he has no regards for his own body and will stop at nothing to give the fans a show.   What other fighter can say there is not a single fan of MMA that is not a fan of mine.  Would you ever miss A Wanderlie Silva fight.

I am sure some of you may disagree with the order of the fighters or the selections in general.  So who do you feel are the most exciting fighters in mma.

via video.ufc.tv

Continue reading this post »

via assets.sbnation.com

Continue reading this post »

via cdn1.sbnation.com 

ABSOLUTELY
             

       In the first fight we all know Josh koscheck was totally caught off guard by GSP's wrestling the wrestler game plan.  Koscheck was caught up in the moment and was controlled for the first time in his own world.  Even though GSP won a clear unanimous decision victory, Koscheck sustained little to no damage and was able to win one of the rounds by putting GSP on his back and inflicting some GnP which was the only round I can recall that GSP has dropped since.

Going into this title fight Josh Koscheck will force GSP into a kickboxing match he will use his wrestling to avoid being controlled by GSP again.  There is no suprise element to this fight and koscheck knows exactly what skills GSP is bringing to the table .  For the first time in a long time GSP will not be able to take his opponent down at will.  koscheck has the more powerful punches and will look to out kick box GSP and ultimately land that over hand right.  Koscheck may even go for a timely well set up takedown himself to steal rounds. 

This fight will all come down to who is the better striker, who can inflict damage in the clinch and who has more stamina.  If GSP gets the better of koscheck on the feet then its ganna be a short night for kos.  But I really believe Koscheck will be coming in to this fight with a nothing to lose attitude, he is ganna let it all hang out he knows this is more than likely his last chance to be a champion in the UFC.  I also believe since they last met Koscheck is the more improved all around fighter.

I'm looking forward to the ultimate fighter show and this fight where I believe Koscheck has a very good chance of becoming the next ufc WW champion.

This is my first comment on this site I was a member of another blog that recently joined sb nation and thats how I came across this one.

Ilike probably many of you I am huge wings fan and was born and raised in MI. But when Yzerman retired in 06 I stopped following the wings to much and at the time I realized I wasnt to much a wings fan as I was a huge fan of #19.

but now Ive gotten over it after about 3 1/2 years and one thing I have been saying to everyone while watching the wings lately which really pisses me the F**k off is how dumb babcock can be at times. I need to get some feedbacl wether I am the only who feels like this or not.

Why the hell is Helm not on the second line, Why the hell does he not get any PP time why the f**k doesnt he get more ice time.

The guy is going to be a star for sure Hes a solid puck handeler and has a quik release. I would go as far as to say he has the best wheels in the whole NHL. dont be a jackass babcock and let the guy play and develop that much sooner.

THIS HAS BEEN DRIVING ME CRAZY

With UFC 111 in the books many fans are polarized on how they feel about GSP's most recent performances inside the cage.  One thing is for sure his last four title defences have been decisive to say the least, but they have also been erie similar, and three of those four have gone to the judges score cards.

Against Hardy GSP looked as dominant as ever but the game and nimble Britt was able to survive two near fight ending submission attempts and last the full 25 min without sustaining much of any damage.  After reading many of the posts at the completion of UFC 111 fans are as divided about GSP as the nation is on healthcare reform.

I am far from a GSP fan but I refuse to be biased on my breakdown of this fight.  Personally I  thought GSP playing it safe was smart but no where near entertaining.  Did GSP stand and strike with hardy  at times? yes.  Did GSP work to try and finish the fight on the mat? Yes he did.  But the real question is did he do nearly enough or fight to his God given ability and potential and the resounding answer is NO. 

Early in the fight when Hardy managed to reverse and gain top position, st piere was able to scramble and get right back to his feet with ease.  At that point it was evident that hardy was not going to be a threat anywhere.  When the fight took place standing Hardy did not throw a single combination  and was barley throwing punches at all save a few jabs and a hook here and there.  So what does GSP do: take him down and control, doing little to no damage and attempting the occasional submission here and there. To me that is the bare minimum especially considering GSp's speed , athleticism and overall potential.

What really pissed me off is with 10 seconds left in the 5th rd GSP looks up at the clock and tries an ankle lock........... to bad it was a day late and doller short.  There is no reason  GSP shouldnt have attempted every submission that exists in this fight.  Ok you dont wanna stand with him because theres a .001% chance of getting caught (even though your opponent is barely throwing his hands) thats fine but where the hell is an attempted arm triangle or an americana or an anaconda or repeated leg locks.  Even if you lose the dominant position going for the submission it doesn't really matter because he cant keep you down anyways.   That performance was not only unfriendly to the eye it was no where near  GSP's capability.  Where the hell were the dynamic leg kicks that he claimed the WW belt with.  Or how about posturing up and try to inflict damage with effective GnP instead of staying chest on chest as if dan was a threat on his back.

Its funny looking back to when GSP used to say that Matt Hughes was his idol.  well now I know he wasn't lying because he has become his Idol.  GSP today is Matt Hughes in his prime when he was the dominant WW champion.   The sad part is GSP has so many more weapons that are going dormant.  GSP is so worried about his legacy that  he forgot what got him where he is.