Intelligently Defending 12.27.07: Five Questions for UFC 79
Posted by Ken Kobel on 12.27.2007
UFC 79 is just days away and it looks to be a big one. In this edition of Intelligently Defending we will examine five questions that will get answered on Saturday.
The UFC is ready to finish 2007 when it delivers ‘UFC 79 Nemesis' live from Las Vegas this Saturday. As always, it is time for Intelligently Defending to take a look at five questions that will get answered at the event.
Here we go…
1. Will the UFC end 2007 with a bang?
It has been a year of highs for the UFC: the glorious return of Randy Couture, the emergence of Anderson Silva and Quinton Jackson as UFC champions, and one spectacular fight after another from the lightweight division.
On the flipside, there have also been plenty of lows: the shocking departure of Randy Couture, the failure to sign Fedor Emelianenko, and a steroid epidemic that saw Sean Sherk stripped of the lightweight title.
With this topsy-turvy year almost at its finish, the UFC will look to end things on a high-note this Saturday when they present one of the most anticipated events of the year. On paper, UFC 79 has the goods to deliver a tremendous night of action.
The event will feature a rare instance in which a cancelled main event is replaced by an even bigger one in the eyes of many fans. This will be the case when the Hughes/GSP trilogy is finalized, rather than the originally scheduled Hughes/Serra showdown. There will be a MMA dream-match when Wanderlei Silva finally fights Chuck Liddell. Although this bout is a little late it will still provide plenty of fireworks. Rounding out the three main fights will be a huge battle between Lyoto Machida and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in a contest that will put the winner much closer to a title shot.
The pieces are in place for one of the biggest UFC events in history, but if 2007 has taught us anything it has taught us that a big card on paper does not always translate into a great event in the end. If you remember, UFC 73 was touted as the biggest card in UFC history, but when all was said and done the lackluster fights left fans disappointed. On the opposite end there is Fight Night 10 in June which flew under the radar. Many fans didn't even know the event was taking place, but it ended up being one of the best cards this year with non-stop action from start to finish.
So will UFC 79 fizzle like UFC 73? Or will it shine like Fight Night 10?
2. Can Matt Hughes take Georges St. Pierre down?
UFC 79 will be the final chapter in one of the most famous trilogies in MMA history when Matt Hughes and Georges St. Pierre square off for the third and, most likely, final time. In one corner will be the greatest welterweight of all-time and across from him will be the man many think will eventually retire as the best fighter the division has ever seen.
This should be good.
For Hughes, this fight comes down to one thing – his ability to take GSP to the canvas.
In all of his years in the sport Matt has never developed into a feared striker and with his career winding down it looks like he never will. In his last fight with GSP, Hughes forgot this fact. He was far too willing to stand and trade with his opponent and the result was a dominating performance by St. Pierre that ended in a second round TKO.
Hughes is a smart fighter and will not make this same mistake again. He is going to return to his bread and butter which has been taking people down and pounding them to victory. This is not to say that Matt has an immense advantage over GSP on the mat because Georges has shown he is a fine ground technician himself. However, Hughes' disadvantage on the feet is so great that he has no other choice but to try to win this fight on the floor.
Being able to reach the ground is going to be easier said than done for the legend.
St. Pierre has shown tremendous takedown defense in his past fights. In Hughes/GSP 2, Matt got his arms firmly around Georges and was not able to score the takedown thanks to an amazing sprawl from the Canadian. Most recently, GSP outwrestled the Division 1 All-American Josh Koscheck who was universally thought of as the best wrestler in the division.
The task in front of Hughes is a large one, but if he can find a way to take St. Pierre down he will have a shot. If he wins, he will score the biggest victory of his career and further cement his status as the best ever. He will then fight Matt Serra in the grudge match that was supposed to take place Saturday.
3. Will Wanderlei Silva re-ignite his career against Chuck Liddell?
MMA fans have been waiting for this fight for years – The Iceman vs. The Axe Murderer. It is happening too late to be labeled ‘the biggest fight in MMA history' – something it would have been called had it been happening this time last year – but the sparks are still going to fly.
Both fighters are coming off back-to-back losses and are in desperate need of a win to re-start their careers. It looks like only one man has a legitimate shot at accomplishing this.
At age 38, Chuck Liddell is approaching the end of his career. He has not looked like the same fighter in recent fights and it seems his head isn't in the game anymore as evident by his attraction to the party scene. Even if Chuck defeats Wanderlei, it will only serve to further build his legacy -- not propel him up the title ranks. In fact, win or lose don't be surprised to hear Chuck announce his retirement after this fight. And unlike his former rival Randy Couture, Liddell will stay retired and enjoy the nightlife he loves so much. The man has earned it after all.
Wanderlei Silva is a different story. Though the Brazilian has dropped two in a row he is still just 31-years-old. There is plenty left in his gas tank and a victory over Chuck would send him right back into the title mix. In fact, his two wins over current UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson could mean that Silva would be next in line for a title shot after Forrest Griffin if he were to win Saturday.
Silva will need to be sharp in order to leave the victor. Chuck may not be the Chuck of old, but he can still end the fight in a blink of an eye. Still, this is Wanderlei's fight to lose, especially if Liddell fights like he fought against Keith Jardine. Wanderlei has been in the octagon and he knows what to expect unlike other PRIDE veterans. If he comes to the fight on top of his game he will score a victory and be right back in the thick of things in a crowded light-heavyweight division.
4. Will Lyoto Machida find a killer instinct against Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou?
Speaking of the crowded light-heavyweight division…
Lyoto Machida is one of the most underappreciated fighters in the UFC today. He sports an 11-0 record and is 3-0 in the UFC with dominating wins over Sam Hoger, the previously undefeated David Heath, and PRIDE veteran Kazuhiro Nakamura. His crisp striking ability and defensive style has given his opponents fits however; it has also brought upon him the ire of fans due to his inability to finish fights.
Machida better find this finishing ability if he hopes to defeat Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou.
Sokoudjou, the Team Quest sensation, burst onto the MMA scene in 2007 with consecutive knockout victories over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona in PRIDE. The Cameroon native brings with him an explosive striking game and world-class judo ability. He is going to come at Machida from start to finish and will refuse to play into the defensive tactics of his opponent.
Machida has no choice but to become more aggressive in this fight. The longer the fight goes the more chances Sokoudjou will have to add to his growing list of highlight reel knockouts.
Machida's last fight is a good sign for his chances in this one. Nakamura is another great judo practitioner and Lyoto handled him with ease. He also displayed more intensity in the fight and was looking for the finish on numerous occasions.
This time around Machida cannot be content to simply look for a finish – he needs to find one.
5. Can Melvin Guillard rebound from his last loss and subsequent suspension?
The last time we saw Melvin Guillard he was weeping into a backstage camera after being choked out by Joe Stevenson in 30 seconds. Melvin looked up and mouthed the words "I'll be back." No one realized at the time that it would be many months before we would see Guillard again thanks to traces of cocaine being found in his urine sample after the fight.
An eight month suspension later and Melvin has returned.
Before his loss to Stevenson, Guillard was on a roll with consecutive knockout wins in the lightweight division. His explosive style and brash personality made him a very marketable fighter and it looked like his career was about to reach the next level. Then Joe Daddy choked him out and it was back to the drawing board for "The Young Assassin."
Guillard will look to rebound against Rich Clementi on Saturday in a fight that features real-life hatred between the two participants. The anger that is fueling Melvin in this fight could lead to his downfall. In the past, Guillard has shown to be somewhat of a head-case. He has got himself into trouble due to over-aggression that causes him to make costly mistakes. We saw this when he fought Josh Neer, Gabe Ruedigar, and Stevenson. Rich Clementi is an experienced fighter with solid ground skills. If Melvin looks for a quick knockout by using reckless striking he will be taken to the ground and submitted.
At age 24, Guillard could have a nice career ahead of him. His game still has holes, but the skill he needs to most display improvement on in this fight is a maturity-level that will allow him to pick his spots and wait for a knockout win. If he does this he should be fine.
Closing
That is all for this week… Let your voice be heard by using the ‘post comments' section below – no registration required. Post your answer to some or all of these questions and let everyone know what you are most looking forward to at UFC 79.
Send all email to kenkobel1@yahoo.com. Each email will be answered.
