The Official SC UFC/MMA Thread

[StealthElephant]

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/news/story?id=2814235

"This is really going to change the face of MMA. Literally creating a sport that could be as big around the world as soccer. I liken it somewhat to when the NFC and AFC came together to create the NFL."

So close to being mainstream...

http://69.ufc.com/

[Anthony]

But until MMA is legalized in New York state - and you start seeing events at Madison Square Garden - the sport will not have fully "arrived" so to speak.

[StealthElephant]

Yep, they're working on it. The PA athletic comission convened and decided to remove the ban on MMA in PA a few weeks ago. So theres its likely the UFC will be coming to Philadelphia or Pittsburg sometime in the near future, both of which are huge venues. No doubt, the UFC will invite members of the NYC athletic commission to come watch and try and change their minds.

[firebird08]

Originally Posted by Anthony

But until MMA is legalized in New York state - and you start seeing events at Madison Square Garden - the sport will not have fully "arrived" so to speak.

So true, its not real untill NY has it and its been at MSG

[StealthElephant]

http://sports.espn.go.com/extra/mma/index - ESPN now has a dedicated section to MMA.


Click Picture for article.

MSG is coming.

[Anthony]

It's about time.

[trashsportstalk]

don't forget that the UFC kills both the WWE and boxing in pay per view sales, and boxing is in third out of those three.

[Anthony]

I was in Sacramento this past Saturday night for UFC 73 - and it was awesome.

[StealthElephant]

Originally Posted by Anthony

I was in Sacramento this past Saturday night for UFC 73 - and it was awesome.

Awesome, I'm waiting for them to come back to NJ, word is they'll be in the meadowlands again before the end of the year.

UFC 73 was a really good card, but they hyped it soo much being "stacked" with big fights that it was bound to be slightly anti-climactic. The Tito fight really was a letdown....first because it was a draw, and second because neither fighter really showed any killer instinct.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by StealthElephant

Awesome, I'm waiting for them to come back to NJ, word is they'll be in the meadowlands again before the end of the year.

UFC 73 was a really good card, but they hyped it soo much being "stacked" with big fights that it was bound to be slightly anti-climactic. The Tito fight really was a letdown....first because it was a draw, and second because neither fighter really showed any killer instinct.

That's right - UFC 78 in November is being planned for East Rutherford.

But how well-versed are you about mixed martial arts, Stealth? Why should Rashad - who was conceding a 3 1/2-inch height disadvantage - have just stood there and let Tito knock him out?

I'm guessing that Rashad is probably going to drop to the 185-pound division after the rematch with Tito, which is now on for UFC 77 in Cincinnati on October 20th - and may eventually end up fighting at 170 (he wrestled at 174 in his senior year in college - as did Josh Koscheck, who is now fighting at 170). Clearly Rashad is way too small to stay at light-heavyweight - and would be borderline at best even as a middleweight.

[Anthony]

It was a tough fight - but my man Rashad Evans came through again, with a split-decision win over previously undefeated Michael Bisping at UFC 78.

[StealthElephant]

Tito has horrible standup and has never KOed anyone in his career, all his stoppages are ground and pound TKOs. Rashad in the past has shown heavy hands and much better striking than Tito (which isn't saying much, Tito is that bad). Regardless of height, I'm pretty sure they both have the same reach.

That said, Rashad's conditioning is sub-par. He wasn't able to finish Tito because he got tired, and he completely gassed out against Bisping. Bisping actually dropped to MW this week cause he's soo undersized, but Bisping has a lean build and doesn't really have any choice. Rashad on the other hand has a much bulkier bodytype, and could easily put on muscle and loose some of that babyfat he still carries around. I don't see Rashad taking a rematch with Tito, because Tito clearly controlled the first round of that fight until he aggravated his back. Rashad was really unimpressive in that fight. I mean, it was a draw, and it was only a draw because Tito go subtracted a point for holding the fense. Tito was winning that fight 29-28, til he grabbed the fence. If Tito ever gets 100% healthy, he could still make a run at the belt.

I really don't see Rashad or Bisping doing anything in LHW or MW. Niether of them will ever be champions most likely.

I'm pretty psyched about he GSP vs. Hughes III. Should be a good fight. Hughes sounds like he's going to be smart this time and do to GSP what he did to BJ Penn in their second fight, just relentlessly go for the takedown and win the positional battle.

Chuck vs Wandy will show who needs to retire and who still has 1 more title run left in them.

Lyoto vs Sokoudjou should be good too, though I think Soko may be over rated, and Lyoto is still a boring fighter.

[themush]

The gates of hell have opened.

Anyone watching tonight?

[StealthElephant]

Yea I bought it.

Hughes looked terrible, GSP just manhandled him. Koscheck put up a better fight than Hughes did.

Chuck looked good, really tried to finish the fight in the 2nd and the 3rd. Wandy is tough as nails but took a beating.

Machida was impressive, brought Soko back to earth and really moved himself up the rankings.

I really don't know why the Pelelei/Sanchez fight was on the main card, that fight was pretty terrible. There were a bunch of fights on the undercard that would have been better then that fight.

[StealthElephant]

Brock Lesnar tonight. Ugh.....Dunno what to think. Half of me says Mir should be able to submit him in the first 2 minutes. The other half wonders how you can choke a man out whos head turns straight into shoulder, theres no neck.