UFC 117

[Ludo]

Re: UFC 117

In the same way you didn't think Werdum was worthy of being the guy to finally dethrone Fedor, I felt the same way about Sonnen (R-Or) (R-Or) beating Anderson. I think Vitor will be a very tough test.

The biggest difference between Fedor and Anderson, though, is that Anderson has a few legitimate losses on his record. So to get another, well it sucks, but it's not unprecendented. Fedor was genuinely undefeated . . . in 31 fights or whatever it was.

Also, I am honestly in the camp that says Silva's competition has been somewhat weak. There have been some good guys in there, but also a lot of middle tier guys, especially since he beat Henderson.

You can say the same about Fedor since he beat Cro Cop and Nogueira the second time. Anderson has three legit losses losses on his record. Takase, Chonan, and Azaredo. However he has beaten just as many if not more good/big names in the sport as anyone else. He holds wins over Mach, Newton, Horn, the first and only man to date to knock out Chris Leben, Franklin twice, Lutter, Marquardt, Cote while Cote was riding a 5 fight win streak in the UFC, Henderson, as well as two former higher division champions in James Irvin and Forrest Griffin.

[Mr. IWS]

Re: UFC 117

For him to hit a buzzer beater was pretty amazing. I just couldn't believe he pulled it out with a couple minutes remaining.

Agreed. Late In the 4th and most of the 5th, I was waiting for him to just say “fuck it” and just turtle up and get the hell out of there. Like you said, that was a defining moment for him. To get dominated like that and pull it out as time was running out was awesome to see.

[SPX]

Re: UFC 117

He has fought the entire top of the division... who else could he have fought at MW? You can say MW is weak in general...

Yeah, maybe middleweight is just kind of weak, or at least has been for the past while. I think it's getting stronger, though. Sonnen is obviously top tier now. He just is. Vitor is a good addition. Marky Marquardt is solid, but not quite champion-level in the UFC, I don't think. Maia also is not quite top tier, and won't be until he learns to use his hands better.

Bottom line is that I'm ready for someone to beat Silva's ass.

[MMA_scientist]

Re: UFC 117

^ I guess it depends how you quanitify "top tier." They are all top 10. Everyone he has fought in the UFC has been top 20 (except Irwin). Maia is not champion material IMO (he'll never be champion his skill set is too one dimensional and he lacks the ability to force the fight to the mat against the top guys), but he is clear top 10. Marquart could be champion I think with the right draw. I would like to see Franklin in the fold again, as I don't think many MW's can beat him... in fact, I still think Franklin is the #2 MW.

Edit, I forgot about the Belfort KO. Still, he is up there.

[Luke]

Re: UFC 117

WTF was this shit?

wtf is flying through the air?

[SPX]

Re: UFC 117

^ I guess it depends how you quanitify "top tier."

I probably mean different things at different times, honestly, but in that case I meant guys who are a true threat and could become champ.

[Mr. IWS]

Re: UFC 117

Looks like a marker or pen. Maybe Lindland was coloring in his coloring book and looked up and saw Chael stuck in a triangle?

wtf is flying threw the air?

[SPX]

Re: UFC 117

For Zak:











oh. . . whoops. . .

[Mr. IWS]

Re: UFC 117

^^^^^^^lol

[zY|]

Re: UFC 117

WTF was this shit?

wtf is flying threw the air?

Somebody threw a pen at them.

I want to see Silva-Belfort now. Silva's reflexes looked pretty damn slow in this fight. If Chael Sonnen of all people can land punches on Silva, who's to say Vitor can't completely smoke him out? He may not, and might still get merked, but it's a lot more intriguing for me at least than it was before.

[SPX]

Re: UFC 117

I want to see Silva-Belfort now. Silva's reflexes looked pretty damn slow in this fight. If Chael Sonnen (R-Or) of all people can land punches on Silva, who's to say Vitor can't completely smoke him out? He may not, and might still get merked, but it's a lot more intriguing for me at least than it was before.

Sonnen's standup has always been pretty good. I remember when he popped Maia and followed it up with the footsweep . . . I thought it was pretty cool.

But yeah, I've been calling for Silva/Belfort for a while now. I will be on Belfort for sure.

[Svino]

Re: UFC 117

WTF was this shit?

Not only the flying pen, but what is Silva trying to do there?

[Luke]

Re: UFC 117

But yeah, I've been calling for Silva/Belfort for a while now. I will be on Belfort for sure.

I cant see Belfort even coming close to beating Silva

[Mr. IWS]

Re: UFC 117

I cant see Belfort even coming close to beating Silva

I used to think that before Sonnen, but I Silva looked mortal to me for the first time in years. Ill still bet Silva, but not as confident as before.

[Luke]

Re: UFC 117

Despite watching his client get dominated by Chael Sonnen at UFC 117 for the better part of 5Rounds, Ed Soares, Anderson Silva’s longtime manager (or mouthpiece if you were to ask Chael), doesn’t believe the chatty challenger’s performance warrants an immediate rematch.

“[Anderson] showed what a champion is made of. He fought through all of that adversity and through all of the things that were going on in there and he stayed focus and never gave up and that’s the heart of a champion,” Soares told FightHype.com.

The middleweight champion was a runaway favorite to steamroll Sonnen and collect his 13th consecutive victory on Saturday. However, Sonnen was never handed the script and was forced to ad-lib the performance of a lifetime. Unfortunately for the one-time political hopeful, 23 minutes and 10 seconds of perfection wasn’t enough to overcome a split-second lapse in concentration.

According to Soares, Sonnen’s reluctance to cry uncle was what ignited the confusion at the end of their instant classic.

“Once he tapped, Chael kept fighting,” he said. “Anderson didn’t let go because he wasn’t sure of what was going on. He wasn’t going to give that position or submission up until he was sure. Once again, Chael tried to deny that he tapped until he told the ref, ‘I believe you.’

“It’s like, come on dude, that’s the same [expletive] you did with [Paulo Filho] and [Rentao "Babalu" Sobral]. If you’re going to tap, then tap.”

Unfortunately for Sonnen, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades and the Team Quest trained fighter was forced to accept his 11th professional loss. Seven of his defeats have come by way of tapout.

Nonetheless, his award-winning comedy tour and nearly flawless performance inside Oracle Arena in Oakland, California has drawn rave reviews and the grumblings for an instant mulligan have already surfaced.

“I don’t necessarily think an immediate rematch is legitimate. It’s not like he won by decision. You got submitted, man,” Soares expressed. “Anderson got a few bumps and bruises, but let’s be realistic. You’re on a guy 23 minutes and you couldn’t finish him. Why should he get a rematch?”

I don’t know, maybe because Sonnen is the only middleweight that’s presented any resemblance of a threat to “The Spider’s” dominant reign? Or because Sonnen was only 110 seconds away from humbling the planet’s baddest 185-pounder before his Hail Marry was miraculously answered in the closing ticks?

...