411 MMA Fact or Fiction 11.04.09: Strikeforce Rating, Kimbo/Houston, Fedor/Rogers & MORE!

Posted by Jeremy Lambert on 11.04.2009

Will Fedor vs. Rogers make is past the three minute mark? Will Houston Alexander defeat Kimbo Slice? Is UFC 106 the event you're most looking forward to in November? Will Strikeforce on CBS do a better rating than EliteXC on CBS 2? 411's Patrick Mullin and Larry Csonka debate those topics and more in this week's edition of 411 MMA Fact or Fiction!

It's a big November in MMA with two major UFC shows, a big WEC event, and Strikeforce bringing MMA back to CBS.

To debate some of those topics and other news from around the MMA world we have the man with the Blueprint to beat anyone and everyone, the best Ultimate Fighter reviewer on the net, and Michael DiSanto's favorite writer. Please welcome Patrick Mullin. His opponent is a man of many talents and if I took the time to list them all I could turn it into a book the size of Harry Potter. All of them. Combined. So instead of doing that I'll just introduce him as the man you, the man you love, THE Larry Csonka.

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

1. Fedor vs. Rogers will not make it past the three minute mark.

Patrick Mullin: FACT. With Fedor's advantages in grappling and Brett's advantages on the feet, each guy has the potential to end this one before you can blink. Fedor's submitted guys held in higher esteem than Bret in under three minutes even after being seemingly hurt. Brett's had one fight go past the first round and KO'ed a former UFC heavyweight champion in under half a minute. This one's not going past three minutes. The opportunity for either man to end the fight will be there and they will take it.

Larry Csonka: FICTION. yeah, I am going to be the guy that says it will last longer than most think. Don't get me wrong, this will not be a three rounder by any means, but I just have a feeling that it will be a different fight than most expect. Generally most expect Rogers to come out fast and either get the miracle KO or for Fedor to catch him quickly and for that to be it. I just see the fight having a much slower start that than, and with that, it has a good chance of going past three-minutes.

SCORE: 0 for 1.



2. Houston Alexander will defeat Kimbo Slice.

Patrick Mullin: FACT. Where are Houston Alexander's problems in MMA? On the ground. Kimbo isn't going to put him there. Alexander has also shown the ability to be hurt and come back and win against Keith Jardine. Kimbo hits hard and...that's it. He's chinny, one dimensional, and will be dealing with a guy who's been in with a couple of top 10 light heavyweights and should be able to KO Kimbo with a more diverse striking game. I wouldn't be shocked however if Houston brought this one to the ground as he is better there than Kimbo is.

Larry Csonka: FICTION. I don't think that this one is as easy to call as most think. Sure, if Alexander is smart he will continually ground Kimbo. Alexander is not a known ground fighter, but the wrestling that he does have SHOULD be enough to keep Kimbo down, as he has nothing to offer on the ground. But if it stays standing, it is an even battle, and comes down to who hits the first clean power strike. Alexander has experience, but he is also limited like Kimbo. I hope it stays standing, because I want to see guys senselessly beat on each other.

SCORE: 0 for 2.

3. Besides the main event, the most interesting fight on the Strikeforce card is Miller vs. Shields.

Patrick Mullin: FICTION. I have to give the nod here to what was supposed to happen in the Super Hulk semi-finals and say Mousasi vs. Sokoudjou is what I'd call the second most interesting fight on the card. People tend to write Sokoudjou off as a fluke but he's a young guy with tremendous physical gifts and has only lost to good fighters. Mousasi is a good young fighter with the potential to be an all-time great. After Sokoudjou lost to Babalu he did the right thing by taking on a couple of easier bouts rather than the onslaught of 6 top 15 light heavyweights in a row. Has there been enough time for Sokoudjou to rebuild his confidence? Has he built up his cardio? How will Mousasi deal with Sokoudjou's power? Is his judo enough to counteract Sokoudjou's? There's just so many questions here that I'm really excited to see this fight.

Larry Csonka: FACT. I am a big Jake Shields fan, and when he fights, I watch. GEGARD should easily defeat SOKO, Silva vs. Wedum is cool and Rogers vs. Fedor is interesting, but I feel that the battle of the night will be for the middleweight title. Miller is out to prove that he deserves this chance, and I feel will put in his best performance in some time. Shields is simply awesome, and he is out to prove that he belongs at middleweight. Shields is simply one of the best fighters not signed to the UFC, and I think he will deliver once again and continue to prove just how good he is.

SCORE: 0 for 3.

Video Intermission



4. The card you're most excited for in November is UFC 106.

Larry Csonka: FICTION. I will be honest and tell you that it WAS the event that I was looking forward to the most, but when Brock vs. Carwin got moved, my excitement switched gears. Don't get me wrong, I am not on the UFC 106 hate wagon as many people are, but now I am just looking forward to the month as a whole. It may seem like a cop out, but the month is loaded with good MMA. Billy Evangelista vs. Jorge Gurgel and the return of Shane Del Rosario on Friday, Fedor vs. Rogers on Saturday as well as Sengoku, Couture vs. Vera, Brown vs. Aldo, Ortoz vs. Griffin II, Tyron "KICK ASS" Woodley fighting on the 20th, damn! While I am bummed that I will not get to see BROCK SMASH this month, there is a TON to look forward too as an MMA fan, and that is a good thing. The only problem? Finding time to watch all of it. Also, if I HAVE to pick a card, I guess the Fedor vs. Rogers card. Cool main event, GEGARD, Miller vs. Shields, Werdum vs. Big Foot, all good shit.

Patrick Mullin: FICTION. Unlike my boss I was never that into the UFC 106 card. I was hyped up for the Strikeforce show from day one and pimped it as THE show to see in November. Aside from Carwin vs. Brock I really wasn't interested in anything on the 106 card, and even the prospect of seeing Josh Koscheck knocked silly isn't that exciting. Rather than pay fifty bucks you can see the best fighter in the history of MMA for free against arguably his most dangerous opponent, a submission clinic from Jake and Mayhem, Mousasi vs. the king of the one rounders Sokoudjou, and a real interesting heavyweight bout between Bigfoot and Werdum. I am in agreement that in general the month is stacked with cards superior to 106, including 105 and WEC's offering of Brown vs. Aldo.

SCORE: 1 for 4.



5. Strikeforce on CBS will do a better rating than the 2nd EliteXC on CBS show.

Larry Csonka: FACT. I actually was going to put a simple fiction and call it done, but when I really thought about it, I will go fact, but also say likely not by much. The reason I am saying fact, despite the generally piss poor promotion of the event by Strikeforce, is two reasons. First of all is the recent promotion during the Sunday slate of football games. Football on CBS is a great venue to advertise the event, and it could help the event a lot. Secondly is the overall growth of the sport. The sport continues to grow, the UFC is doing great numbers, and considering the casual fan links all MMA to the UFC ("HEY MAN, THAT ULTIMATE FIGHTIN IS KEWL") they could likely benefit from that. I hope that they do well, because I like free MMA, I have some of it, and I want more of it.

Patrick Mullin: FICTION. How well has this fight been promoted? Exactly, it hasn't. Aside from seeing 30 second spots during CBS Sunday football or if you frequent MMA websites you probably don't even know this fight is happening. EliteXC really pushed hard and had the added bonus of promoting Kimbo Slice. Slice isn't the greatest fighter of all time, but he's one of the biggest draws which despite his talent Fedor hasn't proven to be. They missed out on not using Mayhem to promote more because the guy has his face all over MTV. I'll be more than happy if this fight outdoes the rating EliteXC did because it will show people are gravitating more towards talent than name value, but I don't see it happening.

SCORE: 1 for 5.

6. Anthony Johnson should be cut if he fails to make weight against Josh Koscheck.

Larry Csonka: FICTION. While I HATE guys that do NOT make weight, I do not think Johnson should get the ax if he does fail to make weight. If I am the UFC, and I hold his contract, I just tell him that his next fight will be at middleweight. Johnson is very talented, and I like him as a fighter, hell, I am a RUMBLE fan, but there are no excuses when it comes to missing weight. Yes I know the injury argument and all, but it is your JOB to make weight. It is his choice to cut between 40-50 pounds, but it is up to the UFC to allow him to fight while he is under contract. So no, I would not cut him, but I would make him wait a while for his next fight, and as mentioned, make him fight at middleweight. I hope that this is not an issue though, as Johnson said that missing weight woke him up and made him a new man. We'll see about that.

Patrick Mullin: FICTION. I'd love to say Larry's wrong here but he isn't and he has the right idea. If he fails to make weight again make him pay a percentage of his purse to Koscheck and the SAC and tell him he's fighting at middleweight from now on. The thing is I don't see this as being an issue until about a calendar year from now. Its one thing to have a layoff and blow up in weight as guys do it all the time, but now he's keeping a more active schedule and thats only going to help him maintain his weight. Also keep in mind a win here likely puts him one fight away from a title shot and a big payday. That's a hell of a motivation to keep his weight in check.

SCORE: 2 for 6.

Patrick and Larry agree to disagree but I think we can all agree that starting with Strikeforce this weekend, we're in for a great month of fights.

Come back next week as two more MMA writers debate the fallout of Strikeforce on CBS and preview UFC 105 featuring Randy Couture vs. Brandon Vera.

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