411 MMA Fact or Fiction 9.30.09: Jackson/Evans, Kimbo/Nelson, Belfort/Silva & MORE!

Posted by Jeremy Lambert on 09.30.2009

Will Kimbo Slice vs. Roy Nelson deliver the highest rating ever for TUF? Will Jackson vs. Evans happen in 2010? Should Cro Cop retire? Should Herschel Walker be licensed by any athletic commission? Should Belfort challenge for the UFC Middleweight title before Henderson or Marquardt? 411's Patrick Mullin and Bill Wannop debate those topics and more in this week's edition of 411 MMA Fact or Fiction!

September comes to an end with the news of two possible retirement and the biggest fight in TUF history taking place tonight.

To debate those topics and more this week we have the man who holds The Blueprint to beating any and every fighter, please welcome, Patrick Mullin. His opponent takes a look at The Legacy of different fighters, trying to create his own legacy (takes off sunglasses, "YEEEEEAHHHHHH!") Bill Wannop.

In the words of John McCarthy…LET'S GET IT ON!



1. Quinton Jackson vs. Rashad Evans will happen in 2010.

Patrick Mullin: FACT. I support Rampage's decision to walk away from the UFC, but I like many seem to think it won't last. Rampage is a fighter, Rashad is a guy he genuinely dislikes, and if there's a last hurrah fight for him this would be the one he'd want. While he's likely to see more money and far less danger outside of the octagon, he'd get a real nice payout for this one and the bottom line is money. Anyone who thinks otherwise is silly.

Bill Wannop: FICTION. I agree with Patrick in that I can see Rampage returning to the UFC, but I cannot see this fight happening in 2010. This is mainly due to the time it takes to set up and promote fights. First he will be out filming the A-Team until the second quarter of 2010. Then I assume he will be auditioning and looking for more roles. The movie is set for a release in the summer of 2010, which again will take more of Rampages time and he will need to be out there promoting the movie. Rashad is not going to sit on the sidelines and waiting for this fight either. Evans is already looking ahead at a potential fight with Thiago Silva. After that Rampage will probably be looking at a rematch with either Tito Ortiz or Lyoto Machida. There may be a slim chance that this fight happens in December of 2010, but I just don't see Rampage crawling back to Dana early enough to sign, train and promote this fight in 2010. The timing on all ends has to be right (Rashad and Rampages schedules) and I don't know if we will ever get to see this fight.

SCORE: 0 for 1.

2. Mirko "Cro Cop" should retire.

Patrick Mullin: FACT. Mirko has always been a classic front runner. When he's in control there isn't anybody who looks better but when he starts off a fight from behind he just can't bring himself to win. He's also not been able to beat a top 15 heavyweight in three and a half years. Mirko was never as good as he was made out to be and for him to fight on is pointless because he doesn't need the money and I reiterate, the bottom line is money.

Bill Wannop: FACT. I agree with Mullin to some extent in that Mirko should retire. But just because he should does not mean he will. Mirko is a shell of his former self and has been getting worse and worse each time he steps inside the cage. He should hang it up before he tarnishes the reputation he earned in PRIDE. However I see him collecting a payday from DREAM or Strikeforce in the near future with possible matchups with Overeem or Fedor.

SCORE: 1 for 2.

3. James McSweeny vs. Wes Shivers was the worst fight in TUF history.

Patrick Mullin: FACT. That abomination of a fight was the worst fight I've ever seen on TUF, in any season period. Neither guy was in shape to go two rounds, let alone the three they'd have to fight if they were in the UFC. Neither guy was able to land anything significant on the other until midway through the second round. Neither guy looked for a finish when the opportunity was staring them right in the eye. People were somewhat upset when the decision went to McSweeney, I for one wasn't. If I had to sit through one more round of that I'm not sure I'd have had the courage to and may have ended my life. Or at least changed the channel.

Bill Wannop: FACT. At first I did not want to say FACT, but then I sat and tried to think of a worse fight. I drew a blank. That either means that I have blocked those other crappy fights from my memory, or that this fight was that really that bad. The only other fights that came to mind were some of the Jesse Taylor fights where he just laid and preyed his way to victory. But at least he had cardio. Unlike Mullin, I did change the channel in the middle of the second round. What makes this fight worse is that McSweeny was one of Rashads top picks and they train together regularly! I think this is really going to be the story with these huge heavyweights in that they have huge power, but absolutely no cardio. I have to say that Kimbo is looking better and better each and every week compared to some of these guys.

SCORE: 2 for 3.

Video Intermission



4. Vitor Belfort shouldn't have gotten a title shot over Dan Henderson and Nate Marquardt

Bill Wannop: FACT. Vitor while impressive in his victory over former champ Rich Franklin, has only 1 victory since returning to the UFC, and it wasn't even in the same division! To say his title shot would be undeserving is an understatement. He has only fought twice at middleweight, and while he defeated both Terry Martin and Matt Lindland in highlight reel fashion, they really are not the top caliber competition that Henderson and Marquardt have faced. There is no doubt that the fight would be exciting, but I see it as a slap in the face to Henderson, Marquardt and the rest of the middleweight division. Everyone seems to have jumped on the Vitor train, but remember that the train can easily run off the tracks!

Patrick Mullin: FICTION. Since the UFC has no ranking system in place to determine mandatory challengers, the fights that should be made are the ones that will do the most business, since first and foremost the UFC is a business. People will pay more money to see a reborn Vitor Belfort who has looked nothing short of devastating fight Anderson Silva than they will to see anyone else at 185 fight Anderson. I'm not so sure they'll pay to see Anderson rematch guys he dispatched in the first and second rounds respectively. Henderson is the same guy who lost to Anderson at UFC 82, his style hasn't changed at all and his only hope to beat Anderson is lay and pray. Marquardt has gotten better since his loss to Silva but he's not a draw and he still hasn't shown me he's capable of beating Anderson. Vitor is the only guy at 185 I give a decent shot to beat him, and it'll do the most money. Its a no brainer.

SCORE: 2 for 4.

5. Herschel Walker should not be licensed by any athletic commission.

Bill Wannop: FICTION. I don't believe that he should not be licensed; it all depends on who they have as his opponent. He is in great shape for a 47 year old and does have martial arts experience (which may not being saying much as Jose Canseco supposedly did as well…) so as long as Strikeforce can find the right opponent, I have no problem with Walker being licensed. I guarantee that Walker will both be more professional and more competitive the Canseco. You have to question Stikeforces motive for the signing, as if he is not licensed or gets destroyed it could be difficult for Strikeforce to recover.

Patrick Mullin: FACT. I loved watching Herschel Walker play football. He was probably the best running back at the collegiate level there ever has been. But he's 47 years old and looking to take part in a sport where brain damage is a job requirement. He also suffers from Disassociative Identity Disorder, formerly known as multiple personality disorder. He doesn't remember his Heisman Trophy winning season. Does he really need any blunt head trauma to add to his psychological disorder? I really wish Herschel would rethink this.

SCORE: 2 for 5.



6. Kimbo Slice vs. Roy Nelson will be the highest rated TUF episode ever (including finales).

Bill Wannop: FACT. This episode will no doubt be the highest rated TUF episode ever. Spike played ti perfectly by announcing the fight at the end of last week, and hopefully they have been advertising the debut of Kimbo in the octagon all wekk long. Kimbo has proven that he is a draw and I believe Nelson is correct in saying that the two could have made some good money if they fought for any other company. In the show Kimbo has shown that he is both humble and is there to learn, while Nelson acts as though he is too good for the show, which is surprising but makes me want to cheer for Kimbo more. It will be interesting to see how the ratings fair if Kimbo is eliminated this episode.

Patrick Mullin: FACT. This season of TUF has already had its highest rating for a debut and we all know its due to Kimbo Slice. The reason they announced the fight prior to the episode it would happen is to build anticipation. Let people spread the word to their friends and really pull in a huge rating when Kimbo Slice makes his long awaited debut in a UFC octagon...at least technically. You also have the real MMA fans tuning in because there's a talented heavyweight who's been on the radar for a long time named Roy Nelson as his opponent. Nelson was the last IFL heavyweight champion and has fought the likes of Andrei Arlovski and Jeff Monson(whom he arguably beat in the latter case). This fight could headline a Strikeforce Showtime card and we're getting it on TUF.

SCORE: 3 for 6.

Patrick and Bill split things down the middle. You know the drill, the money is in the rematch.

Come back next week as two more MMA writers debate the fallout from Kimbo vs. Nelson and the latest news from around the MMA world.

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