UFC 112

[SPX]

Re: UFC 112

At that point in the 5th, Maia WAS taking it to Silva. Doing everything he could. Instead of KOing him instantly like he wanted us to believe he could do in the first 2 rounds, he runs away.

Crazy.

Exactly. That's my point. I want to see a fighter who will do that from the first round to the last and not let up.

As for Maia, I'm proud of him. He put it all on the line in the last round and tried like hell to win that fight. I think Silva was temporarily stunned by that shit. I mean, he just looked confused as hell there for a minute like he didn't know what was going on.

[Svino]

Re: UFC 112

I think a lot of people don't understand the kind of Counterstrike-no-Jutsu Silva uses. People think he's being inconsistent because he has some dramatic KOs and some snoozefests, but he is really doing the same thing in every fight.

The first thing to realize is that in a 5 round fight, you have to think about the first three rounds differently than the last two. After winning the first three rounds, Silva knew the fight was already over. All he had to do to win was make sure the fight went to the scorecards, which is easy for him to do, and was exactly what he did.

If Maia wanted Anderson to stand his ground against his suicide charge, he needed to do it sometime in the first three rounds (as Griffin did). Instead, he joined Silva in playing the game of chicken for three rounds (and losing), and then decided he wanted to up the pressure after it was already too late.

The fact is that the current rules favor exactly this kind of strategy and we are going to see more of it. I'd bet a lot of cash that Lyoto Machida would have handled this fight in almost exactly the same way. Look forward to it in future title defenses if he wins his rematch with Shogun. Fans are lucky to have guys like B.J. Penn who will keep pressing forward in the late rounds even after winning the early ones; he really doesn't have to.

I think a lot of Vitor, but the New Vitor is a counter-striker with a strategy pretty similar to the one Anderson and Machida use. A Belfort - Silva match could easily be a slow 5 round fight with each guy waiting for the other one to rush in.

Silva vs. Rua might be interesting, though.

(Love the Silva / Fedor .gif)

[zY|]

Re: UFC 112

I think a lot of people don't understand the kind of Counterstrike-no-Jutsu Silva uses. People think he's being inconsistent because he has some dramatic KOs and some snoozefests, but he is really doing the same thing in every fight.

The first thing to realize is that in a 5 round fight, you have to think about the first three rounds differently than the last two. After winning the first three rounds, Silva knew the fight was already over. All he had to do to win was make sure the fight went to the scorecards, which is easy for him to do, and was exactly what he did.

If Maia wanted Anderson to stand his ground against his suicide charge, he needed to do it sometime in the first three rounds (as Griffin did). Instead, he joined Silva in playing the game of chicken for three rounds (and losing), and then decided he wanted to up the pressure after it was already too late.

The fact is that the current rules favor exactly this kind of strategy and we are going to see more of it. I'd bet a lot of cash that Lyoto Machida would have handled this fight in almost exactly the same way. Look forward to it in future title defenses if he wins his rematch with Shogun. Fans are lucky to have guys like B.J. Penn who will keep pressing forward in the late rounds even after winning the early ones; he really doesn't have to.

I think a lot of Vitor, but the New Vitor is a counter-striker with a strategy pretty similar to the one Anderson and Machida use. A Belfort - Silva match could easily be a slow 5 round fight with each guy waiting for the other one to rush in.

Silva vs. Rua might be interesting, though.

(Love the Silva / Fedor .gif)

I don't really agree at all. His early UFC fights weren't like that. He wasn't even like this in the Forrest fight. The initial knockdown that put Forrest on queer st. and essentially out of the fight was from Silva blitzing Forrest then dropped him with a right hook.

Exhibit A



Go watch the 2nd round vs Maia. The dude was throwing a tantrum.

[Svino]

Re: UFC 112

I don't really agree at all. His early UFC fights weren't like that. He wasn't even like this in the Forrest fight. The initial knockdown that put Forrest on queer st. and essentially out of the fight was from Silva blitzing Forrest then dropped him with a right hook.

I think any differences in the way he handled Forrest and Franklin, compared to Leites and Maia are easily explained by the high level of jiu-jitsu of the latter fighters. Silva didn't feel like he had as much to fear from Forrest, but every time Leites of Maia got a hand on him, I bet Silva had flashbacks of Daiju Takase go through his head. I really wanted Silva to engage in the later rounds. Why? Cause I had money on Maia and I knew that was my only chance. Unfortunately, Silva didn't bite.

As for the showboating, I agree that it was over the top and unprofessional. I think the early round stuff was mainly to taunt Maia into charging in and getting owned. I'm guessing more here, but I think the late-round clowning was because Silva wanted to avoid contact, but not look like he was trying to avoid contact, so he taunted Maia like he did in the earlier rounds to set up a defense of, "See, I wanted to engage, but he wouldn't do it!" But when Maia called his bluff, Silva backed away and looked ridiculous because of the contradiction.

[zY|]

Re: UFC 112

So essentially, you think he's doing it for fear of losing, while I think he's just being a giant douche. Is that about it?

If so, I think we're going to disagree all day long, lol.

[zY|]

Re: UFC 112

BTW, apparently the shit he was screaming in round 2 was swearing and apparently very offensive, and all of Brazil is pissed at him.

http://www.fightersonlymagazine.co.uk/n ... hp?id=4281

[Svino]

Re: UFC 112

So essentially, you think he's doing it for fear of losing, while I think he's just being a giant douche. Is that about it?

If so, I think we're going to disagree all day long, lol.

Yep, basically. Not that I don't think he wasn't also being a douche - I mean, if he was swearing at Maia in the cage that seems like the kind of "unsportsmanlike conduct" the UFC really ought to be able to fine him for. It's over the line, and bad for the sport. I don't think that's what most of the American fans are mad about though. There wasn't any of that in the Leites fight that I remember, and people were still plenty pissed about that.

[Ludo]

Re: UFC 112

The problem here is that the event was in Abu Dhabi, the Unified rules don't apply there. So he can't be punished for breaking rules that weren't still in effect, sadly I might add. It is something you can get disqualified for or lose a point for, swearing at your opponent during the fight. Honestly I'd love to see Vitor vs Anderson. Vitor has the best combination of power and technique in his hands in the division right now and the best chance of knocking Anderson the fuck out. Right about now I'm almost hoping Anderson DOES move up to Heavyweight to fight someone like Mir who will give Anderson something to really run away from.

[zY|]

Re: UFC 112

Well, when the UFC goes out of country, they act as the commission, and enforce the same rules. And to be honest, I'm not sure the ref is allowed to reprimand someone for circling like Dan did to Silva, unless it's considered the 'timidity' rule.

I don't think it's something they'd look into after the fact anyways.

[Svino]

Re: UFC 112

Yeah, Silva's evasion was flagrant enough that I think Dan was within his rights to issue a warning since 'timididty' is a technical foul. There was a moment though when he shoved Silva as Silva tried to circle behind him. I thought that was inappropriate. Either warn him about refusing to engage or take a point off, don't push him.

[Ludo]

Re: UFC 112

They might, given the fact that the swearing was being done in a language unknown to the Referee/Commentators so no one even knew what he was in fact saying.

He wasn't trying to circle behind him, he was trying to taunt Maia and deliberately put the ref between them to further enrage Maia. Thats why Dan shoved him.

[Mr. IWS]

Re: UFC 112

Rogan brought up the yellow card system. I think it would be a pretty good idea to bring it back, to hopefully avoid that running shit.

(10 points for zY on that Fedor/Andy gif...)

[zY|]

Re: UFC 112

They might, given the fact that the swearing was being done in a language unknown to the Referee/Commentators so no one even knew what he was in fact saying.

He wasn't trying to circle behind him, he was trying to taunt Maia and deliberately put the ref between them to further enrage Maia. Thats why Dan shoved him.

Maybe, but I dunno. Nick Diaz swears at all of his opponents in English.

[Ludo]

Re: UFC 112

I don't remember him doing it during a fight though, not like that. I remember him flipping off the crowd once when he still fought in the UFC, but I can't remember any time he actually swore at someone while the round was going on. He's usually too busy throwing like 80 strikes a minute.

[Mr. IWS]

Re: UFC 112

I don't remember him doing it during a fight though, not like that. I remember him flipping off the crowd once when he still fought in the UFC, but I can't remember any time he actually swore at someone while the round was going on. He's usually too busy throwing like 80 strikes a minute.

I remember him doing it against Gomi and Robbie Lawler off the top of my head.