UFC 129 toronto GSP-Shields

[SPX]

I don't know whether Seagal is actually teaching these guys anything useful, or if it's just the case of a mental block being overcome. IE: One guy does something people don't think is possible, people realize it is, and other capable fighters try more vigorously to employ said technique. It's pretty common in sports and fighting.

It's hard to overlook the presence of Seagal though, as preposterous and hilarious as it seems.

Well Seagal at least deserves some credit in that he IS a legit Aikido black belt. I don't know that he's a "master" as people keep saying, but it's something he's very experienced that.

But the question is what does he know about striking? We really have no idea what Seagal does in his day to day life. Maybe he actually has a lot of experience in other martial arts as well, and it's just not talked up like his Aikido experience. Big question mark there.

[MMA_scientist]

I don't know what happened to Aldo. He was fast and destroyed Hominick in the 1st round, then he came out flat and awful in the 2nd and it was nothing of Hominick's doing.

Also, fuck Chad Mendes.

Aldo must fight Hatsu Hioki.

Exactly, I just thought he gassed inexplicably for some reason and that was why I was worried.

[MMA_scientist]

Well Seagal at least deserves some credit in that he IS a legit Aikido black belt.

I am sure is was a rough 6 weeks for him. I am open minded about martial arts, but Aikido (as we know it) is basically completely useless in mma.

[Svino]

Some tl/dr thoughts on GSP / Shields.

First, a semi-rhetorical question: Why wasn't the fight stopped (in Shields' favor) due to GSP's blindness in one eye?

You either are allowed to fight with one eye, or you aren't, right? Was it just because the injury didn't look very bad? I didn't think that was supposed to be the issue.

And don't tell me the cageside doctors didn't have a clue about it. If a million people watching at home knew, they surely did.

You could say that the vision rule is really only meant to be used as an excuse to stop the fight in the case of a fighter getting brutalized, but if Couture lost to Belfort and Fedor lost to TK, why didn't GSP lose to Shields last night?

Anyway, I think you know my real opinion on this: get rid of the idea that a fighter "cannot fight" with vision in only one eye. There are worse handicaps that people fight with. GSP was tentative, but you can't say he couldn't defend himself.

-----------------------

Overall, I loved the fight result. As long as GSP keeps winning his fights by boring decisions, people will continue to underestimate him and we'll keep getting good lines. Not enough people understand that his cautious style makes him a *better* fighter to bet on, not a worse one. My favorite fan reaction, which I've seen a few close variants of, goes like this: "What a joke that people call GSP #1 p4p! He just plays it safe in the closing rounds instead of trying to finish! He's an athlete, not a fighter. A fighter like Anderson Silva would never fight like that!" [facepalm]

What's next for GSP? I don't know -- moving up to MW for a superfight against champion Yushin Okami? Seriously though, I don't think all the people clamoring for GSP to move up so we no longer have boring WW title fights have thought their cunning plan all the way through. You've got elite WW's like Shields and Fitch likely to take over if that happens, and you know what that means.

Also, the fan reaction to this fight reinforces my fear that the UFC may be making a mistake with 5-round non-title fights, at least if they aren't very careful with who gets them. Last night was such an awesome card, and yet anger at the boring main event seems to be by far the dominant topic of conversation on forums. People wouldn't care so much if it had been 3 rounds. I really think it's those extra 10 minutes tacked onto an already dull fight that take people from "meh." to "FANBOY RAGE!" Aldo / Hominick was 5 rounds and good; great even. But there's something about just one boring 5-rounder on a card that people just can't get over.

[Svino]

At first, I thought Silva giving a nod to Seagal was just showing respect to a celebrity who took the time to hang out and train with him. It's clearly more than that though. I wonder if Ed Soares is deliberately trying to get him involved with their camp for publicity.

I think there's only one way to find out how legit Seagal is -- make the long overdue fight: Steven Seagal vs. Jason DeLucia.

[Aside: SPX, did you ever see the (several years old) No More Kings video for "Sweep the Leg"? I just had to ask.]

[SPX]

I am sure is was a rough 6 weeks for him. I am open minded about martial arts, but Aikido (as we know it) is basically completely useless in mma.

Seems I remember hearing the same thing about karate not too long ago.

[SPX]

[Aside: SPX, did you ever see the (several years old) No More Kings video for "Sweep the Leg"? I just had to ask.]

No. What is that?

[MMA_scientist]

Seems I remember hearing the same thing about karate not too long ago.

ok... i guess since a few guys have made karate basd styles work, that means anything is possible. I could make the same argument about chi balls or hadukens or disappearing and levitating ninjas or something. We will never see a wrist lock throw in mma, because it is bullshit... it doesn't work even on untrained people. Its not elitism, it is plain truth. There may be some elements or philosophies that can help someone who is already trained though... I think that is true of most martial arts. So it may be that Segal really did provide some sort of "be like water" type of philosophy that helps these guys but for actuall finer points of a technique or timing... no. Aikido is not even really a martial art, it is like tai chi or yoga to most of the practioners.

That said, I support Steven Segal and hope he continues to train fighters and get credit.

[Svino]

No. What is that?

They reunited most of the Karate Kid cast for this one:

[Svino]

I could make the same argument about chi balls or hadukens or disappearing and levitating ninjas or something.

Next, I want to see an MMA camp say they are training with those "Combat Ki" guys.

[Vandelay]

ummmm thats cheick kongo in the video. no?

[poopoo333]

UFC 129 Results: Sickness Slowed Jose Aldo During His Bout Against Mark Hominick

[SPX]

A lot of people are saying that Shields intentionally poked GSP in the eye.

Judge for yourself:

[Johnny Unreliable]

Yeah I remember thinking he was throwing a lot of open handed jabs. His hand never closes. Pretty clear eye poke but I doubt it was intentional. Shame, perhaps it could have been a better fight.

[Ludo]

I don't think he intentionally did it. It doesn't seem like Shields' style to throw an intentionally illegal blow.