The MMA News Report 07.11.07
Posted by Morgan Marx on 07.11.2007
Will Quinton Jackson and Dan Henderson swap titles (Again?)? Which free agent has talked to the UFC (hint: it’s not Fedor)? Who will headline the next Fight Night Live? And what did I think about UFC 73? Find out inside.
INTRODUCTION
We've got fallout from UFC 73, various news updates, and a couple chances to share my unadulterated, ill-informed opinions. I also have to head to class in 11 minutes, so let's make haste, shall we?
MAILBAG/RANT TIME
No emails to share this week, probably due to the July 4th holiday (cough). Instead, I'm going to vent about the troublesome response we witnessed at UFC 73. Many have remarked about how quick the crowd was to tire with any and all groundwork. Boos reigned down throughout the night, most notably in the lightweight title fight and during the Ortiz/Evans draw. Is this the sort of reaction we can expect at UFC events from here on out?
One theory is that newer fans of the sport don't appreciate the intricacies as much as more veteran fans. With the sudden rise in exposure, more and more people are being brought to a sport famous for violence and brutality. Those same fans might be looking for viscous knockouts and broken limbs. Instead, they might be disappointed at the lack of both in the modern MMA game. With so many equally skilled opponents we're going to see more and more evenly fought matches.
I'm not entirely willing to accept that notion. First, as I've mentioned before, I'm one of those newer fans. I had never ordered a UFC (or MMA) PPV before the first season of The Ultimate Fighter. Like many, I am a bandwagon jumper who got on because of Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin. I certainly appreciate the highly skilled wrestlers and jiu jitsu aces, even without watching Royce Gracie fight in his prime. Thanks to the Internet, Youtube, and TV shows that air classic fights, it was easy to become well versed in the sports history and nuances.
When I watched the Sean Sherk v. Hermes Franca match-up, I watched two master craftsmen ply their trade. Sherk's ability to pass guard and effortlessly transition between dominant positions is a beautiful thing to watch. Hermes Franca is a world class BJJ fighter and yet he couldn't prevent Sherk from moving wherever he wanted. Sure, France did well limiting the amount of damage he took, but that's a good thing. We want to see what happens when the best come up against each other, not mismatches where one fighter is dominated.
I think it's ridiculous that people are complaining about Sherk's inability to finish fights (Kenny Florian among them). The man has finished almost 66% of his 35 fights. Sure, he's won by decision over the likes of Nick Diaz, Florian, and Franca, but those are 3 top quality opponents. Not every fighter is going to be Chuck Liddell, KOing challengers left a right. Should Florian have lain down and let Sherk finish him? What's he complaining about?
Think of it this way: not every NFL team is going to be the Indianapolis Colts. Every team can't put up 40+ points a night. Some teams win with defense. And while that might be a more "conservative" approach, it doesn't mean it's not as exciting. Recently, we watched the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Jacksonville Jaguars play a Monday Night Football game in which neither team scored a touchdown. Jacksonville managed 9 points from fieldgoals, and won 9-0. The game was thrilling to watch. It was a defensive struggle from two evenly matched teams. No one complained about the lack of 80-yard bombs, or of a shootout victory. People who appreciate the NFL knew they were watching a great game.
I think the Franca v. Sherk fight had a lot of those similarities. It's not like nothing happened. Franca landed big knees and one very dangerous choke attempt. Sherk constantly applied pressure. One of the interesting subplots coming into the fight was Sherk's statement that he had never been swept in a fight. Franca vowed to do so, and he made good on his claims. However, Sherk immediately powered out from the bottom and regained control. It was a fascinating exchange.
Now if you don't know what a sweep is, and you're only watching hoping someone's head gets taken off, I don't know what to tell you. But I am neither a former wrestler nor a jiu jitsu aficionado. I loved the fight for what it was, and didn't feel cheated one bit.
Now, if Franca had won 15 seconds in via that choke, I might have been pissed.
NEWS
White Clarifies Light Heavyweight Title Bout
God, this story just won't die. We've had conflicting reports from shaky sources, actually newspapers, and unnamed Zuffa employees. Even Dan White himself was somehow misquoted. Finally, White has emerged to settle, once and for all, which titles will be on the line when Dan Henderson and Quinton Jackson lock up at UFC 75. In an interview with ESPN.com, White stated:
It will absolutely be a unification bout. We have to respect Henderson's titles. He knocked out Wanderlei Silva and had the 185-pound championship. When he fights Rampage, they both have belts. Why should Dan Henderson get the UFC title if Rampage can't get the PRIDE titles? It makes one of them the undisputed guy.
So that's that right? Well, not entirely. A unification fight seems to imply that that the two belts will be merged, with one champion representing both companies. Is that what White meant, or is this another misunderstanding. It seems more likely that the winner will be dual champion. Whether the light heavyweight title is ever defended in Pride again depends on the fate of the company.
Either way, this statement restores some of the luster to the main event. A belt v. belt match will bring with it all sorts of hype and interest. Add in the 5 round championship duration, and UFC 75 just got a little upgrade.
Of all the fighters featured on the "comeback" season of TUF, Din Thomas might have the most upside. Granted, Matt Serra is the current UFC welterweight champion, but who really gives him a chance at holding onto the belt against Matt Hughes? Thomas, on the other hand, has shown the ability to hang with the new breed of MMA fighters, and at just 30 is arguably in his prime. With 3 wins in the UFC following his stint on the show, Thomas is on the cusp of challenging for the lightweight title.
To do so, Thomas will have to best another lightweight challenger looking to earn a title shot. Fresh off an impressive unanimous decision victory over Sam Stout, Spencer Fisher will look to keep his momentum going when he fights Thomas in the main event of Ultimate Fight Night 11 this September 20 at the Palms in Las Vegas. According to Loretta Hunt of the Fight Network, an American Top Team representative has confirmed that Thomas has verbally agreed to take on Fisher.
Additionally, rumors are circulating that Mike Swick will face fellow TUF alum Chris Leban in a rematch. Bad blood exists between the two, dating back to before the reality series. What the fight would mean for Swick's plans to drop to 170 remains to be seen.
Josh Barnett: "Who's Ready to See Somebody Get Buried into the Canvas?"
With an official post on his Myspace page, former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett has announced that he is currently a free agent looking to entertain offers from MMA organizations. The Pride veteran was released from his contract, though it is not known whether that was the fighter's request or a Zuffa decision. Barnett went on to state:
Truthfully, I have spoken with Dana and Lorenzo recently and the UFC is well aware that I have no beef with them. There are no personal issues keeping me from signing with the UFC. I just have not received any offers from them yet.
Other organizations like Bodog Fight are also interested in the former Pro Wrestler's services. While Bodog might not seem a logical choice for Barnett, the UFC heavyweight division is super crowded right now. Barnett might not want to risk the path that Heath Herring has slipped down.
Ortiz v. Evans II Already Confirmed Approximately 3 seconds after the official judges scorecard was announced at UFC 73, we all knew Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans would meet again. UFCjunkie is reporting that the rematch will occur this October at UFC 77 in Cincinnati. While the two exchanged barbs both before and after the fight (and who knows what was said during), neither man sustained any real damage. Here's hoping a rematch finds one or both fighters more willing to back up the hype. Sources:UFCJunkie
Aurelio to Debut Against Guida Though Clay Guida has lost his last two UFC fights by decision, there's no danger that "The Carpenter's" days in the UFC are numbered. Instead, the hard working Guida has been rewarded for his tenacity with a match against debuting Pride veteran Marcus Aurelio. The BJJ ace is notorious for a shocking upset of Takanori Gomi in 2006. Though "Maximus" lost an eventual rematch, he is still a force at 155. Guida will look to put him to the test at UFC 74 in August. Sources:The Fight Network
Is Fitch the True Opponent for Diego Sanchez? First it was Hayato "Mach" Sakurai. Then it was (improbably) BJ Penn. Now, Jon Fitch is being touted as the next rumored opponent for TUF 1 winner Diego Sanchez. At this point, the fight is just a rumor. However, a fight between Fitch and Sanchez would help sort out the crowded top 5 that exists at welterweight. Fitch, a decorated collegiate wrestler and talented jiu jitsu fighter, would be a steep challenge for Sanchez, who is coming off a loss to Josh Koscheck. The fight is rumored to take place at UFC 76 in September. Sources:UFCJunkie.com
COMMENTARY
Are we, as MMA fans, becoming spoiled? How is it that a PPV featuring definitive TKO championship victory, a stunning almost-upset, and brutal war of attrition has been met with criticism. I can't believe that people have complained about the quality of UFC 73, especially on the heels of all the complaints prior to events like UFC 72 and Fight Night Live 10. What will it take for MMA fans to be satiated?
UFC 73 Main Card Anderson Silva (c) v. Nathan Marquardt: So much for the pre-fight hype. The UFC is filled with enough talented competitors that I don't believe we need to be "sold" on main events anymore. Nate Marquardt is a great fighter who can give many middleweights fits. But how could people really believe he was going to smother Anderson Silva? If people hadn't realized how special a fighter Silva is before his first (legitimate) title defense, I hope they will now. Taking Anderson Silva to the ground will not earn you a victory. He's never had a tremendous sprawl and he never will. His BJJ blackbelt from the Nogueira brothers is legitimate in that he can effectively neutralize even talented grapplers on the ground. Maybe he wouldn't have submitted a fully healthy Travis Lutter on the ground, but Silva could certainly have escaped Lutter's sub attempts.
What was most impressive about Anderson Silva's victory? For me, it wasn't the groundwork, but the force in his strikes. Thanks to Joe Rogan, we all know how accurate Silva is with his strikes. But look how devastating they can be. Each time Silva landed a straight jab, it sent Marquardt stumbling back. It only took a few strikes to knock Marquardt off his game. And it only took two on the ground to put his lights out.
I won't say that Rich Franklin looked worried after witnessing Silva's dominance first hand. But he can't be feeling too positive. Silva is much better on the ground than Franklin is. Franklin would be susceptible to both submission attempts and strikes from the bottom if stuck in Silva's guard (did you see Silva almost catch Marquardt with the same upkick he used against both Okami and Lutter?).
Instead, Franklin will look to stand and trade. And what's the one thing Franklin has always crowed about? That while he doesn't have one punch KO power, he can string together combinations that add up over a 5 round fight. Well, so can Anderson Silva. And on top of that, Silva can stagger you with a simple jab. I don't think Silva will walk through Franklin as easily as he did the first time. Franklin will be in better shape with a better game plan. Which means we should appreciate Anderson Silva all that much more when he KOs Franklin for a second time.
Alvin Robinson v. Kenny Florian: Ok, Kenny Florian is for real. I don't know how wise it is to take a shot at the reigning unstoppable lightweight champion, but he proved that he could overwhelm even talented jiu jitsu fighters on the ground. Now it's time to see him face another UFC top ten lightweight. A Tyson Griffin or a Thiago Tavares perhaps.
Rashad Evans v. Tito Ortiz: Well, it was disappointing, but was it really that unexpected? Ortiz and Evans pretty much nullified each other completely, and isn't that what a draw describes? Ortiz is still a challenger at light heavyweight. Depending on the match-up (ie, anyone but Chuck Liddell) Ortiz can absolutely cancel out an opponent's offense and control where the fight takes place. Evans, well, he's not ready for the upper echelon of light heavyweight fighters. Even if he wins the rematch, I'm not sure I like his chances against a Rua or Rampage.
Two things caught my eye. First, we've now seen Ortiz tire in his last two decision victories. Ortiz faded severely down the stretch against Forrest Griffin and looked much worse for the wear in the third against Evans. Is his vaunted cardio starting to suffer? Or are pre-fight injuries affecting his preparation?
Second, the grab that cost Ortiz the point (which in turn cost him the decision) was immediately followed by the closest chance either fighter had to finish things. The choke Ortiz locked in looked pretty tight. Had Ortiz allowed himself to be taken down earlier in the round, might Evans have been caught without the bell to rely on for help? Many are assuming that Ortiz would have lost had he not cheated. I'm not so sure myself.
Sean Sherk (c) v. Hermes Franca: See above for my thoughts on the style of the fight. As for Sherk, the only thing preventing a lengthy title run may be an upcoming match against BJ Penn. No one else currently in the UFC at lightweight will trouble Sherk. Like many, I was totally blown away by the UFC's All Access program that detailed Sherk's training regimen. How can you not cheer for a man who sacrifices so much for the sport he loves and to provide for his family?
Heath Herring v. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: For the last 30 seconds of the first round, I looked like a fucking genius. Here's what I said in our roundtable preview of the fight: If Nogueira is at all distracted, if he makes a mistake, he could end up like Mirko Filipovic. When Herring landed that kick I was out of my chair with excitement. Did Herring fail to finish things properly? Of course, but I can see what he was thinking. Having been submitted before, and knowing how much punishment Big Nog can take, I'm sure Herring thought the best bet would be to ask for a standup. It looked like Nog wouldn't be able to rise, and that Herring might have won there and then. The big mistake was not taking the fight to Nog at the start of the second. I'm sure Herring will still be thinking about that as he fights on un-aired prelim fights to finish out his UFC contract…
CONCLUSION
So what's you think about UFC 73? Were you disappointed by the decisions? Or were you thrilled the champions retained. Drop me a line and let me know. Next week we'll discuss more breaking news, and start looking ahead to both the UFC's and the WEC's next events. Take care.
