411 MMA Fact or Fiction 07.14.10: Velasquez vs. Lesnar, The Future of M-1, Aoki's Grappling & MORE!

Posted by Jeremy Lambert on 07.14.2010

Will Cain Velasquez defeat Brock Lesnar? Are you looking forward to Mark Hunt's UFC debut? Is Shinya Aoki the best submission grappler in all of MMA? 411's Bill Wannop and Jeffrey Harris debate these topics and more in this week's edition of 411 MMA Fact or Fiction!

It was a rather slow week in the MMA world with no major shows scheduled until August 1. Luckily the news world never stops spinning and there was enough news to offset the lack of action.

To look back on the week we have a man trying to form his own MMA Legacy and doing a damn good job, please welcome "The Cowboy" Bill Wannop. His opponent is an all-around personality here at 411, he is The Vile One, he is Jeffrey Harris.

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

1. Michael Bisping vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama is a more interesting main event than Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Frank Mir 2.

Bill Wannop: FICTION. While it may have the potential to be more exciting, I don't see it as a main event level fight, as both guys are too far away from the title picture for it to have any importance. While Bisping has been beating some lower level guys, he still struggles when he faces the upper echelon in the division and Akiyama has yet to prove himself in the UFC.

With Nogueira vs. Mir 2, this fight will answer a lot of questions regarding their last meeting as well as the future of each guy. Nogueira is coming off of two brutal knock-outs in his last three fights, so if he were to be knocked out again by Frank Mir, I think that his career may be in question. As well Nogueira blamed his last loss to Mir, more a product of an illness then the performance by Mir, and this fight will answer that question.

Jeffrey Harris: FICTION. Nogueira and Mir are both coming off knockout losses but both of them are still bigger draws than Bisping and Akiyama. Both are also former champions. The fight could also very well determine the futures of both men in UFC and MMA as a whole. Plus there was all the debate after the first Nogueira/Mir fight that Nogueira was ill and not 100%. However, Mir still exploited one of Nogueira's on-going weaknesses in Nog's lack of good head movement and striking defense.

SCORE: 1 for 1



2. Shinya Aoki is the best submission grappler in MMA.

Bill Wannop: FACT. There is nobody in MMA today, that once they get hold of you, they can submit you the way Aoki can. He has 24 victories in his career with 15 of those wins coming by way of submission. As well Aoki always finds interesting and innovative methods of submitting his opponents. There is not one other fighter in the world that utilizes, and relies on submission grappling the way Aoki does. This is also a huge downside for Aoki, as he is completely one dimensional, but as far as that dimension goes, he is the best.

Jeffrey Harris: FICTION. I thought Aoki's US debut would educate some of the more ignorant fans. Aoki is the most overrated submission grappler in MMA is more like it. Aoki's striking and wrestling is pitiful as the Melendez fight has proven. Aoki can not hang with the best in the world or the best fighters in the US. Aoki is not going to submit the top 10 or 15 fighters in the world at lightweight. I think BJ Penn is much more worthy of the best submission grappler in MMA title. BJ Penn might only have 6 wins by submission and not 15 like Aoki, but BJ Penn has submitted the likes of Jens Pulver, Joe Stevenson, Kenny Florian, Takanori Gomi, and Matt Freaking Hughes. That's a much more impressive list of champions and competitors than the people that Aoki has submitted. He's submitted Hansen and Alvarez OK, but his other submission wins are over ham and eggers like David Gardner. Also what about someone like Ben Henderson who has 8 of his 12 career wins by sub? Look at the submission tear he's been on in the WEC. He submitted Jamie Varner and Donald Cerrone in consecutive title bouts. Before that Anthony Njokuani. I'm just saying, I don't see Aoki pulling off some sort of awesome sub against the likes of BJ Penn and Ben Henderson who will absolutely punish Aoki standing and against the cage before possibly knocking out or submitting Aoki themselves.

SCORE: 1 for 2

3. You're looking forward to Mark Hunt in the UFC.

Bill Wannop: FICTION. The fact that I completely skipped this piece of news answers this question. Hunt is on a five fight losing streak, which makes this news even more bizarre. As well in those last few losses, Hunt has looked somewhat embarrassing, and he really is not a very big name as far as being able to build younger talent off of. I would actually look more forward to the UFC signing any of his last five opponents (Mousasi, Manhoef, Overeem, Fedor, Barnett).

Jeffrey Harris: FICTION. I'm still a little confused, surprised, and mystified this fight is actually happening and why its actually happening. I imagine McCorkle and/or Hunt must have some dynamite management. Mark Hunt was sort of an interesting prospect years ago in Pride, but such is not the case anymore. Hunt should pretty much be retired right now as an MMA fighter. On paper this seems like one of those awkward, train wreck fights that Pride FC was known for at a time.

SCORE: 2 for 3

Video Intermission



4. Cain Velasquez will beat Brock Lesnar.

Jeffrey Harris: FACT. I'm not going to be wishy washy about this. And I'm a Lesnar fan. I still think Lesnar has a chance of winning. I simply think Velasquez is not going to gas in the first round like Shane Carwin did. Velasquez also has a strong amateur wrestling background and he's a good standup fighter. I think Cain Velasquez will do a better job of exploiting Lesnar's weak striking defense than Carwin did. Velasquez is also super quick and a cardio freak.

Bill Wannop: FICTION. While Velasquez may not gas like Carwin did, he also will probably not be able to dominate Lesnar the way Carwin did. While Velasquez has much better standup then Carwin and arguably equal wrestling, his size will hurt him. Lesnar should be able to toss Velasquez around and dominate him on the mat. As well Velasquez did show that he too has a weak chin as Kongo was able to knock him down multiple times in their fight. Based on that and the fact that Brock is a beast, I am going with Lesnar all the way

SCORE: 2 for 4



5. M-1 Global will be out of business by this time next year.

Jeffrey Harris: FICTION. I don't think things are good right now for M-1. And we've seen MMA promotions die overnight like Affliction and EliteXC. That said, I imagine Fedor will still be fighting under the M-1 Global banner by this time next year anyway. So I think M-1 will be around a little while longer.

Bill Wannop: FACT. While I agree that they may be able to ride this out for another year, I have to say fact due to the sheer joy I will be in if they do in fact go out of business. M-1 Global is a complete joke of an organization, who really does nothing for Fedor or MMA as a whole. This has nothing to do with Fedor not going to the UFC, but simply how M-1 Global feels that they should co-promote every card that Fedor is on, and the fact that they have only put on one major MMA show (major being a very liberal term). The threats that they were even making to Strikeforce, saying that if they knew what was good for them they would have Fedor fight Werdum again in his next fight are ridiculous and this so called company needs to go out of business.

SCORE: 2 for 5

6. You believe Dana White when he says that he would release Chuck Liddell.

Jeffrey Harris: FACT. I think White gave Liddell his chance. Liddell came out for a good fight and got knocked out again. Liddell isn't even going down from powerful shots anymore. His chin is shot. If Liddell fights again it won't be for the UFC, so UFC would have to release him on that alone. I get that Liddell is probably still addicted to the high of winning. It's a hard thing to let go, I get that. But I mean, he's a father and he's got to worry about his future health. He's in his 40's and the game has passed him by at this point. He needs to call it a career now for his own well being and longevity in life.

Bill Wannop: FICTION. I don't think there is any way at all the UFC will release Chuck. While he has been knocked out in his last three fighters, he is still one of the biggest names in MMA, and to have him sign with the competition would be a stupid move on the UFC's part, worse then Strikeforce letting Jake Shields just walk away as their champion. At the end of the day this is business and it would not be good business for the UFC to release Liddell. I actually believe that Chuck will fight again in the octagon, and it will be against none other than Tito Ortiz, when he is ‘healed' enough to fight again.

SCORE: 2 for 6

Jeffrey and Bill disagree more often than not but a slight advantage goes to Jeffrey as he's on Team CAIN TRAIN.

Come back next week as two more 411 writers debate the latest happenings in MMA right here only at 411 MMA Fact or Fiction.

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