UFC/MMA in 2016
- Thread starter Pxer
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Not sure if anyone else saw it, but the Tony Ferguson v Lando Vannata fight last night was crazy. Never seen so many spinning back fists landed. Vannata took the fight on two weeks notice, it was his UFC debut. Here's video:
http://weekendmma.blogspot.com/2016/07/tony-ferguson-vs-lando-vannata-ufc.html
http://weekendmma.blogspot.com/2016/07/tony-ferguson-vs-lando-vannata-ufc.html
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I saw it; it was awesome. I don't think Vannata's style will ever win him a belt, but damn was he fun to watch. I can't believe he almost took Ferguson out. Ferguson is stone cold killer.
I'm definitely looking forward to his next fight.
Their champ just tested positive and got suspended. Plenty of other big names have failed in the past, as well. I believe they use the same testers as one of the four major sports.
I don't know about WWE testing. Before they knocked Reigns I would have said it was a joke, but if there was someone WWE would cover for I would have guessed it would be Reigns. Up until him the normal people who got caught were people who WWE never used anyway (like Hornswoggle). I would bet that Triple H, especially around WM time was juicing because he was 46 years old and he had the best physique in the company. Cena recovers faster from major injuries than Wolverine so I would put some money on him as well.
Haha especially around. HHH has more needles in him than a porcupine. Recovery would be hgh though. Not sure if there's a test for that yet.
I think you're placing too much agency with the...agency (regime) and not enough with the individual actors. I generally think the folks who get popped for drug testing are the ones too dumb, arrogant, or desperate to avoid getting popped. Especially in the more established sports, there's too much money in hand and at stake for it to be any other way. It seems logical that there would be a self-selection effect that the most successful upper-tier guys are less likely to fall into those categories than someone in a more precarious position. Someone over-protected like Reigns might even be a logical exception to that rule.
Jon Jones had two banned substances in his system.
http://deadspin.com/nsac-jon-jones-tested-positive-for-two-banned-substanc-1783863887?utm_source=deadspin_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2016-07-18
http://deadspin.com/nsac-jon-jones-tested-positive-for-two-banned-substanc-1783863887?utm_source=deadspin_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2016-07-18
Valentina is really great. Wish she'd change levels more but she's really great with her striking and timing. Meanwhile Holly keeps getting shorter and leaning more instead of getting her jab at length.
What a rollercoaster the women's bantamweight division is now. Is the division really generating this much more talent, or do you think more and more the KO of Rousey was a bit of a fluke? Rousey obviously has standup deficiencies, but I still think she should be able to beat anyone in the division.
I think Holm and Valentina would beat her 7 and 9 times out of ten. I think she'd always beat Tate. I actually haven't seen Nunes fight. The division has a bit of the Frazier always fights Ali close but gets killed by Foreman who loses to Ali feel to it.
You might be right because Ronda is still in Glendale and there is no limit to the stupidity that Taverdyan will have her engage in. Both of those fighters will knock Ronda out if she insists on charging them and eating counter punches.
But in an MMA fight it should be the other way around if Rousey fights a smart fight. I just re-watched the Shevchenko vs Nunes fight from UFC 196 (interestingly, the night Tate & Holm fought) and Valentina was dominated on the mat, especially in round two, where Nunes was able to mount her, take her back and beat the hell out of her. Nunez tired in the third round, like she always does, but it's hard not to see Rousey submitting her if she fights her fight.
As for Holm, I have to think the rumors that she hates grappling and refuses to work on it are true. She has two tactics when she gets taken to the mat, to either stand straight up or hold on and pray. Against Tate, standing straight up raising her head like a wrestler got her choked twice against Tate and all she could do with Valentina was hold on and wait for the ref to stand them up.
All of that said, there is no reason to believe Taverdyan has learned his lesson and he might just succeed in his effort to turn Rousey into a below average boxer.
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The question isn't whether RR can outstrike these ladies is it, but whether she can get inside or lock an armbar on a competent striker. I'd imagine anyone who can kick and punch and use angles and lateral movement can take her out of her game enough that whether she's looking for a combo or an armbar she's going to get flustered taking those sharp shots to the dome.
I hope my post doesn't read like I am proposing she try to outstrike Holm, Shevchenko or even Nunes. Against strikers of that quality, I think she needs to smartly force her way into the clinch and let her strength and unmatched Judo and submission skills do their work. That will involve being patient, limiting the amount of punches she eats, working her way into close range and cutting off the octagon properly. She was able to do that once with Holm, and just missed a submission opportunity that she probably finishes if she is clear headed.
I worry that Taverdyan will convince her to try and punch her way into close range by charging at an opponent like Shevchenko, which will result in Ronda eating those overhand counter rights that Shevchenko throws constantly until she drops, exactly like you describe. I think it is more likely that the scenario you describe occurs than my best case scenario above. If she was at Tri-Star or AKA, places that have done great work with other very high level grapplers with somewhat limited striking skills, I would feel better about her prospects.
That makes sense. And here's where my limited knowledge of the sport and technique come in. How else do you get inside on a striker who knows how to strike and move? Do you shoot? The problem with Rousey is she's not super quick or evasive. She's not one of those fast twitch fighters who can be a blur or pounce. From what I've seen, and I think I've seen most of her fights, she's a charge in and overpower you type fighter, like Tyson, which works when people get scared or go straight back, but is ineffective against fighters who know how to stick and move, stick and move.
Great KO by Nikita Krylov on Ed Herman. His kicks were killer all fight, from all angles. Up and comer
Wow.
Edit: Woodley closes space so fast. He was smart to look for his shot and not wanting to mix it up with Lawler. 7th title change this year.
Edit: Woodley closes space so fast. He was smart to look for his shot and not wanting to mix it up with Lawler. 7th title change this year.
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I'm super happy for Woodley, love that guy. It will be a very interesting fight with him and Thompson. Such a difference of styles between those two.
Because people are buying into the McGregor hype? Betting lines don't reflect who's favored necessarily its based on betting trends to get the house the best possible outcome.
That press conference was a shit show yesterday. Terrible audio, McGregor over 15 minutes late, then Diaz walking out with his crew starts throwing water bottles at McGregor's camp so Conor starts throwing monster energy cans at them.
I like Diaz a lot, I think there's a charm about him that's hard to describe but that was a bitch move. I don't think McGregor will win but I hope he does. If he loses to Diaz then to Aldo his stock will plummet and I think the sport is better off with him being one of the top guys.
That press conference was a shit show yesterday. Terrible audio, McGregor over 15 minutes late, then Diaz walking out with his crew starts throwing water bottles at McGregor's camp so Conor starts throwing monster energy cans at them.
I like Diaz a lot, I think there's a charm about him that's hard to describe but that was a bitch move. I don't think McGregor will win but I hope he does. If he loses to Diaz then to Aldo his stock will plummet and I think the sport is better off with him being one of the top guys.
UFC 202 has a lot of potential to be a great card. Top 3 fights are legit. The other 2 could be great as well.
Disclaimer: Fights subject to suckitude, so, "caveat emptor."
Welterweight Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor
Light Heavyweight Anthony Johnson vs. Glover Teixeira
Welterweight Rick Story vs. Donald Cerrone
Welterweight Hyun Gyu Lim vs. Mike Perry
Welterweight Tim Means vs. Sabah Homasi
Disclaimer: Fights subject to suckitude, so, "caveat emptor."
Welterweight Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor
Light Heavyweight Anthony Johnson vs. Glover Teixeira
Welterweight Rick Story vs. Donald Cerrone
Welterweight Hyun Gyu Lim vs. Mike Perry
Welterweight Tim Means vs. Sabah Homasi
I'm in Vegas for this shit and I know zero about it. So if a man were to walk by a sports book window in the next say 36 hours, what's he gonna do?
Honestly I'm having a tough time predicting the outcome. Gun to my head I have to go with Diaz...he's the bigger man and can take a pounding, he's better on the ground, and his striking is *just* below Conor's. I rewatched the fight a few times and Conor tags Diaz with a few decent shots in the first round but Diaz just ate them up and shook em off.
Either outcome wouldn't surprise me. Diaz gets a full camp but so does Conor he can get used to the weight a little more and work on his conditioning. Would Nate have landed that shot on McGregor if he wasn't gassed in round 2? The shot that started the downward spiral? Not sure.
I know that fence is awful wide that I'm riding but I don't think you'll find extreme lines one way or another on the main event and also the semi main event. Maybe bet both underdogs on the same ticket?
Either outcome wouldn't surprise me. Diaz gets a full camp but so does Conor he can get used to the weight a little more and work on his conditioning. Would Nate have landed that shot on McGregor if he wasn't gassed in round 2? The shot that started the downward spiral? Not sure.
I know that fence is awful wide that I'm riding but I don't think you'll find extreme lines one way or another on the main event and also the semi main event. Maybe bet both underdogs on the same ticket?
Conor had a full camp in the last Diaz fight, he was preparing for 5 rounds with RDA and still gassed. The Diaz brothers have always had great cardio, so if Conor was out of breath in the second round last time around, I don't see how he can markedly improve on that. Still think an early knockout is his best, and probably only, way to win.
I'm betting big on Diaz for what that's worth and I haven't even checked the lines. McGregor doesn't have the pop to hurt him or the skills to keep him off when it goes to the ground.
It's drastically in the UFC's best interests (and the fighters' financial ones') for McGregor to win this. In a vacuum on a planet far away in a match ref'ed by a robot, I'd probably take Diaz because he is a noticeably naturally larger and longer guy and very skilled in his own right. But there's a whole lot of other stuff going on with this.
My style-bias is showing, but leg kicks for days, by Connor. If he does that and isn't stupid about swinging from his heels for a knockout, he can go five and win on points.
My style-bias is showing, but leg kicks for days, by Connor. If he does that and isn't stupid about swinging from his heels for a knockout, he can go five and win on points.
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There won't be a decision and Diaz won't get rocked. Happy to take action here on either proposition.
I'm seeing "Decision" at +375/-515 and "Over 2.5 rounds" at +110/-120. Split the difference on the +/- and I could put $250 on each. You've got to give me the "recent civil servant" break on the short action.
Been a while since I've structured something like this, but that would give me +445 on a decision and +115 on over 2.5 rounds, I think. Cut out the vig and it's better than either of us could do elsewhere, no?