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UFC 56: Full Force

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Jeff Newton's a kung fu guy I wrote off years ago. Lo and behold, the guy's managed to put together a winning record and has a HL reel Ko over Joe Crilly. Never did I think this guy would getting subbbed on a UFC PPV, but I guess he proved me wrong.

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Guest Brian
Jeff Newton's a kung fu guy I wrote off years ago. Lo and behold, the guy's managed to put together a winning record and has a HL reel Ko over Joe Crilly. Never did I think this guy would getting subbbed on a UFC PPV, but I guess he proved me wrong.

 

Subbed as in subbed in or subbed as in submitted?

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- Submitted. As in, "I'm going to laugh my fucking balls off while watching Jeff Newton get submitted by Sam Hoger."

 

- UFC sure seems to love the Freestyle Academy.

 

- Gabriel "Napao" Gonzaga is a multiple time ADCC vet, who I will forever have a soft spot for due to the debilitating calf cruncher he nailed on that deuchebag Pe de Pano.

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The weird thing with this card, IMO, is that it's not a mega-card, but its not weak either. I think losing Bonnar and Parisyan hurt it a bit, but it's still a must-see. It's the first time Franklin is headlining a PPV, IIRC, so it will be interesting to see the numbers he puts up. Hughes has never really been a draw, but with TUF and his fight against Trigg on the biggest UFC show of all time, it will be difficult to see what (who) draws here.

 

Middleweight Title: Rich Franklin vs. Nate Quarry

 

- I think that Rich has better stand-up than Nate, as Nate is rather wooden (from what I have seen) standing. If Rich circles and works his angles well, he'd be able to avoid Nates strong hands effectively and wouldn't really be put in trouble. I don't think Nate has faced the quality of opponent that Rich has, and I don't really see him on the level of Jorge Rivera, let alone Evan Tanner. Rich can get rocked, and Nate could knock him out, but I think he's simply better in all areas of the game to get beaten here. Conditioning may become a factor, as I imagine Nate has been training his ass off while Rich has more things on his plate right now with TUF and stuff. The longer it goes, the worse off Franklin will be. I think it's very important for Nate to push the pace and never give Franklin a chance to implement his game plan. Simply put, Nate needs to outwork Rich, get Rich tired, and then go to down when Franklin gets slower standing. If he doesn't do that, then I think Rich can win it when ever, where ever, and how ever he wants.

 

Welterweight Title: Matt Hughes Vs. Joe Riggs

 

- This is kinda tough. I think its a much harder match for Matt than Parisyan, because while Parisyan is a more skilled fighter than Riggs, I think Matt will have a much harder time muscling around Joe than he would have Karo. I don't know how good Riggs is off his back, but I don't imagine he's good enough to put up much of a fight. Though, his fight against Lytle and the elbows from the ground were very impressive. With the win over Lytle, I think Riggs is a upper-10 fighter, so this won't be a complete blow-out, but I think there's a certain gap in this division -at least in the UFC- between GSP and Hughes and everyone else. The best chance Riggs has is that Matt has shown a willingness to entertain the thought of standing up with his opponents before out-right taking them down. So there will be moments - a few seconds at least - where Riggs can let his hands loose. Unfortunately, the second he steps in to drop a bomb, Hughes will come right underhim and take him down. Whether or not he has the strength to get back up -as GSP has- and outmuscle Hughes - as BJ Penn did - we will have to wait and see.

 

Georges St. Pierre Vs. Sean Sherk

 

- God I'm scared for GSP here. But then again, I was scared for him against Trigg and Rush obliterated him. I think GSP is better at everything except wrestling here, and I think he's strong and big enough to defend Sherks attempts and if he gets taken down, I think he's good, big, and strong enough to get back up. However, there is a bit of an x-factor here. What if he isn't good, big, and strong enough? What if Sherk can keep him down? What mental effect will this have on GSP? Rush is used to dominating, what happens when he gets dominated? This was the same question Frank Trigg asked before his fight with GSP, and while Trigg was unsuccessful against St. Pierre, I think it still is relevant. The second Georges got put on his back with the armbar against Hughes he tapped. He's a young guy. He's on top of the world right now and he's wicked confident. He said after his fight against Trigg that he's twice as good as he was when he fought Hughes, and now he is saying he's so much better than he was when he fought Trigg. St. Pierre is taking this fight very seriously, and it will be scary to see if he is as good as he says he is. Well, scary for every other welterweight out there, at least. It's very good for us Rush fans.

 

Jeremy Horn Vs. Trevor Prangley

Kevin Jordan Vs. Gabriel Gonzaga

Sam Hoger Vs. Jeff Newton

Nick Thompson Vs. Keith Wisniewski

 

The rest of this card is ok. I don't know about half of the guys in them though. Hopefully that will change after the PPV.

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From Insidefighting.com

 

Bad Ass Breakdown: UFC 56 (Co-Main Events) - 11/10/2005

by Phil Baroni

 

Rich Franklin vs. Nathan “The Rock” Quarry

UFC Middleweight Championship

 

This is a “Joe Silva Special.”

 

Rich Franklin comes in as the huge favorite for a reason. He’s fought the best in the division. He’s fought in the big show many times. And he’s got a proven record, with all of his wins coming by knockout or submission.

 

In other words, he’s the real deal.

 

Nate Quarry, on the other hand, is taking a big step up in class with this fight. His biggest test to date was a loss to Gustavo Machado in King of the Cage back in 2003. So he remains unproven against top competition – and Rich Franklin is certainly top competition.

 

Basically, it’s a great marketing fight for the UFC. They’ve got a title challenger in Nate Quarry who’s a household name coming off “The Ultimate Fighter.” So they can use him to build Franklin. The UFC spent a lot of money on Franklin; he’s a big star now. This is the perfect fight for him after winning the title and coaching on TUF2. It will show what a great champion he really is.

 

In terms of the matchup, Franklin is the bigger, stronger middleweight. He has the better standup. He’s got the better ground game. His conditioning is top notch - he seems to get stronger as the fight goes on, breaking opponents down more and more. And he has the single most devastating weapon of the two – his left high kick.

 

Quarry’s only advantage in this fight might be his wrestling. Neither one of them come from a wrestling background, but I’d probably give the edge to Quarry since he trains everyday with Team Quest.

 

 

Even though it is a big showcase bout for Franklin, this should be a great fight for the fans. Nate Quarry will almost surely stand with Franklin and try to bang him out of there. And that will let Franklin showcase his skills in an exciting, crowd-pleasing fight.

 

Even so, this is also a good fight for Quarry, too. Franklin is better in every area, but Rich will stand there and bang with him, which is what he wants. If Quarry is ever going to win the title, this fight probably gives him his best chance.

 

Quarry has a decent punch and he’s very herky-jerky on the feet. Some people criticize that, but there was also a boxer back in the day named Merqui Sosa who was also herky-jerky and he knocked out a ton of light heavies in his day.

 

And let’s face the facts: Franklin chin is suspect. That’s not marketing hype. It’s true. He got knocked out by Lyoto Machida, a guy who cracked BJ Penn a few times and never staggered him. He also got hurt badly by Evan Tanner, a guy who isn’t known for punching power. That’s the only question on Franklin’s entire game, and it’s a big one.

 

Granted, Franklin recovered very quickly after getting rocked by Tanner. But that says nothing about his chin. It means that he was in great shape. You can recover more quickly from concussive blows when you’re in great shape. The fact that he got hurt in the first place is the significant point.

 

Quarry, therefore, has a puncher’s chance to win. That is what makes this fight interesting.

 

So the question becomes can Quarry take a punch to land a punch? That’s what we’re going to find out next Saturday.

 

On paper, Franklin is the huge favorite, because he’s better in every area. But that’s why we fight the fights, rather than deciding them on paper.

 

UFC matchmaker Joe Silva did a great job putting this fight together. There wasn’t a true No. 1 contender in the division when he signed the fight. Now, you’ve got David Loiseau. But Quarry was the perfect choice for Franklin coming off the huge swing in his popularity after such a successful reality show.

 

I expect Franklin to win inside the distance in a very exciting fight.

 

 

Matt Hughes vs. Joe “Diesel” Riggs

UFC Welterweight Championship

 

This is a huge test for Joe Riggs to gauge where he is in his career. He’s still a baby – only 23 years old. So I expect him to fighting for the UFC title at least one more time, even if he loses. But Riggs can’t look at this opportunity in that way. Everyone said the same thing about Dan Marino when he lost to the 49ers in the Super Bowl, but he never made it back. So Riggs has to look at this as a once in a lifetime opportunity.

 

Riggs was up in Salt Lake City, Utah training with Jeremy Horn, who also has a fight at UFC 56, when he got the call to fight Hughes. Because Horn and Hughes are such good friends and have a long history together, Riggs left camp. So he doesn’t have the same level of training partners as before. And that could be a big factor heading into the biggest fight of his life, both in terms of his preparation and his confidence.

 

I actually volunteered to go up to Joe Riggs’ came to help him train because I know what it feels like to be training for the biggest fight of your life and basically get abandoned by your training partners. We’ll see if his training ends up being a factor on November 19.

 

From a matchup perspective, this is a very interesting fight, one that should be decided by who secures the top position on the ground.

 

Matt Hughes is the most dominant champion in UFC history. He destroys guys by taking them down, putting them up against the cage, and pounding them out. And that is exactly what he has to do against Riggs, because Hughes faces a serious disadvantage in the standup arena – more on that in a moment.

 

Similarly, the only way Joe Riggs wins is if he takes Hughes down and bombs him out, because Hughes won’t let this fight stay on the feet.

 

Is it impossible to take Hughes down? No. St. Pierre took him down. BJ Penn took him down. And Sean Sherk took him down. Anyone can get taken down in MMA. The question is what do you do with a guy after you take him down?

 

For Riggs, that means unleashing the nastiest ground and pound in the division. He’s not worried about submissions or getting submitted. Instead, he throws crazy elbows and punches with a ton of power, and that’s the X-factor in the fight.

 

People will say Hughes has the more devastating ground and pound, but his is more of a grinding attack. He wears guys down, rarely stopping them with one shot. Riggs can knock you out on the ground with a single elbow or he can open a fight-ending cut. That’s a big factor.

 

Can Riggs do that? It’s a long shot. Hughes is the most dominant champion in UFC history for a reason. He’s very well rounded and is a master at controlling where the action unfolds. So if Riggs gets the opportunity for the takedown, he must take full advantage of it and end the fight.

 

If the fight stays on the feet, it could be an early night for Hughes. While the champion is a very big favorite entering the fight, the odds swing overwhelmingly in Riggs’ favor if Hughes tries to box with him.

 

But Riggs can’t go out there looking for the knockout. When you throw big shots on the feet, it’s very easy to get taken down. And I’m not sure how good Riggs is at getting back up. Even if he’s good, it’s very hard to get up if a guy really wants to hold you down – trust me on that one. So Riggs has to hold back and defend the takedown unless Hughes gives him an opening.

 

Basically, Riggs has the edge in the standup and has the more devastating ground and pound. Hughes is the better wrestler. He is the stronger guy. His jiu-jitsu is better. And he is an expert at controlling the action once he takes a guy down.

 

In terms of experience, they might have a similar number of fights, but Riggs hasn’t fought in nearly as many big fights or against nearly as many world-class opponents as Hughes. He is on a nice run of big fights against top UFC-level guys, but Hughes has fought nothing but the best for years.

 

With that said, I wonder if Hughes will really show up in great shape. Was he taking Karo Parisyan lightly? Was he training hard up until Parisyan pulled out two weeks ago? If not, that could be an intangible that affects the fight.

 

Styles make fights, and Riggs has a much more difficult style for Hughes than Parisyan. And the fight with Riggs could be more grueling. So Hughes can’t do his 30-day training bulls—t. He needs a good two months of training under his belt. I know Riggs will show up in excellent shape – training with Billy Rush guarantees that. I wonder if Hughes will show up in great shape, too.

 

If I had to pick a winner, I’d go with Hughes by decision, but it’s a very tough fight for both guys.

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I'm sick of you making excuses for Billy Rush.

 

Even though a title match with Tanner should be Loiseau's #1 priority I wouldn't mind Loiseau requesting a fight with Quarry and laying the 'bows down because of Nate talking shit on Canada.

 

This was, mind you, before Loiseau smoked out Tanner. And Nate looked drunk.

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Guest Brian

Sherk interview from MMAWeekly:

 

“Gunning For Number 1 Contender”

Sean Sherk Makes His Return To The UFC To Face Georges St. Pierre At UFC 56

 

Many people have said that Georges St. Pierre is the future of the welterweight division and that may very well be true, but at UFC 56 returning top 170lb contender Sean Sherk is hoping to prove that he is the best in the division right now. After some time off to reflect and decide if he still wanted to fight, Sherk is now determined to regain his place as one of the best in the world.

 

Sean Sherk talked with MMAWeekly about his upcoming fight with Georges St. Pierre and his future in the UFC.

 

MMAWeekly: How has training been going for the fight?

 

Sean Sherk: Training’s going good, training my BUTT off. Getting about 3 or 4 workouts a day. Pushing myself real hard.

 

MMAWeekly: Who are you working for to get ready for this fight?

 

Sean Sherk: I’m working out with my same guys that I’ve been with for 5 or 6 years. We got a lot of jiu-jitsu guys, and Thai boxers. I’m also working with Nick Thompson, he’s fighting on the same show, Josh Koscheck is out here right now, training with Brock Larsen, he just fought on the last UFC. I’ve got a solid group of guys and everyone is pushing me, it’s been really beneficial.

 

MMAWeekly: What do you think about Georges St. Pierre as a fighter and what kind of dangers does he pose as an opponent?

 

Sean Sherk: I think he’s a good fighter, he’s well rounded, good conditioned, good athlete, young, so I think he’s going to pose a lot of problems. I think he’s a threat in every aspect of the game and I think you’re going to have to be on your “A” game and can’t get tired.

 

MMAWeekly: Did you have any hesitation at all signing to fight a guy like St. Pierre for your first fight back in the UFC?

 

Sean Sherk: I really don’t care. I wanted this fight a long time ago, so when they offered me the fight, I was surprised St. Pierre took it, I didn’t think he would. I didn’t think he’d want anything to do with this fight. I wanted to fight him on the Spike TV card, that’s when this fight was originally supposed to happen, and that would have been 4 weeks notice, and I took it on 4 weeks notice and said okay let’s do it. Then they came back to me and they wanted it on UFC 56 instead and that gave me 10 weeks to train instead, so that’s fine by me.

 

MMAWeekly: I know you had a fight not too long ago and won in quick fashion, but this will be your first fight in this atmosphere for a while. Do you think you’ll have any “ring rust” because of the layoff you had?

 

Sean Sherk: I don’t think I’ll have any ring rust. I’ve been fighting for 6 years, I’ve got 35 fights under my belt, I’ve been wrestling since I was 7, I’ve got about 400 amateur wrestling matches, I’ve been competing my whole life and it just comes second nature. Heart is something you’re born with, not something you can really earn. I’ll never quit, I’ll come out, fight hard and I think everything will be just fine.

 

MMAWeekly: St. Pierre is a pretty big guy for 170lbs and the only guy that’s seemed to match his strength was Matt Hughes. Are you preparing yourself to deal with that factor or not really worried about his power?

 

Sean Sherk: I really don’t know how strong he is, I’ve never locked up with him. People say he’s pretty strong, so it’s just something we’ll have to find out in the opening round of the fight. We’ll lock up and see who’s stronger. I’m not weak by any means and everyone I train with is anywhere from 190 to 220lbs, big guys, so it doesn’t really matter.

 

MMAWeekly: You obviously have a very strong background in wrestling and the only person that has given you trouble in a fight in regards to wrestling was Matt Hughes. Do you plan on working for the takedown on St. Pierre, put him on his back and see how good his guard is or stand up with him?

 

Sean Sherk: I’m going to have to go out there and kind of feel around and see what happens. I actually have no problem standing up and boxing with him, I have no problem taking it to the ground. We’ll go out there and see how things progress and go from there.

 

MMAWeekly: In your career your wins have come from a myriad of ways, submission, strikes, etc. What is it that you do better than St. Pierre that gives you your biggest advantage in this fight?

 

Sean Sherk: I think my ground and pound is better than his. My arms are short and I’m really hard to submit when I’m on top of somebody, and I can really work somebody over really fast.

 

MMAWeekly: Not to look past this fight, but if you win, how far away do you think you’d be from another title shot?

 

Sean Sherk: I would hope I’d be next in line, but the welterweight division is getting pretty damned deep. You’ve got a lot of guys, with TUF 2, you’ve got a whole slew of welterweights and a lot of the guys from TUF 1 who were middleweights dropped down to 170, so the division has so many fighters. I mean if they wanted to give me a title shot, I’d be more than happy to take it. It doesn’t matter who I fight, as long as I get paid and make a decent living.

 

MMAWeekly: How did it come about that you got back with Monte Cox and has it been discussed if the fight is offered for a rematch with Matt Hughes?

 

Sean Sherk: I had taken a step back from mixed martial arts for about 9 months and I was looking to get back into the sport, so I contacted Monte. If anybody can keep me busy, it’s going to be that guy. So I contacted him and he said he could keep me busy, and the UFC contacted him shortly after that, so the first thing we talked about was potentially me and Hughes fighting. He said he didn’t want it to happen at first, but now he said that if it happens it happens and he’ll stand aside and let it happen.

 

MMAWeekly: What does it mean to you to be back in the UFC?

 

Sean Sherk: It’s a really good feeling. I mean one thing is job security. When you’re fighting in all these small shows, I mean I fought 10 times last year in the small shows and I was constantly scrambling to find fights, fights were falling through one after the other and I’m constantly scrambling to find another one. I’ve got bills to pay and this is my only job, so if I don’t fight, I don’t pay my bills. So that was very frustrating, which kind of led me to walk away from the sport, all the frustration dealing with all that stuff. So being with the UFC now, it’s definitely job security. I don’t have to talk to 10 different promoters asking them “Please put me on the card?” And the UFC is making some major waves in the sport; I can’t believe how big this sport has gotten since I last fought in the UFC 2 _ years ago. Now the UFC is so big. I haven’t even fought yet and I can tell the difference. I really like the direction it’s heading, and I’m really excited about its future and I hope to be a part of its future.

 

MMAWeekly: With two title fights on this card, your fight with St. Pierre is probably the fight most people are talking about and seems to be the most highly anticipated fight on the card. How does that make you feel know the respect that fans give you and the hype up for this fight?

 

Sean Sherk: It feels really good that they have that appreciation, that’s part of the reason that I fought, because the fans have been so loyal over the years. I’m assuming I’m the underdog which is fine because I’ve been gone for a while, but I like being the underdog, motivates me to train harder. It’s good and I hope that the fight lives up to the hype. I mean when I fight I don’t want anybody to be sitting in their chairs. I want everybody to be up screaming and yelling. I mean it’s only 15 minutes, I can go hard for 15 minutes and I know St. Pierre can too, so this will be a really good fight.

 

MMAWeekly: What do you think about the welterweight title fight on the same card with Matt Hughes fighting Joe Riggs?

 

Sean Sherk: I think that fight has the potential to be better than a lot of people think it’s going to be. Riggs is very, very aggressive, his hands are very good, and he can definitely knock people out with his hands. He used to weigh well over 200lbs so he’s going to be very strong, he hits hard, he’s a good striker and he’s also a good wrestler. I’m actually looking forward to watching that fight myself.

 

MMAWeekly: Any final words for the fans or about the fight coming up?

 

Sean Sherk: First off I want to thank my sponsors, Gamma-O and KTFO. I’d like to thank all my family and friends for their support. I’d like to thank all the loyal fans that have been with me since day one, loyalty is what it’s all about. I don’t want people jumping wagons after this fight, coming off the St. Pierre bandwagon, jumping onto mine. And all the guys I train with, I couldn’t do it without them.

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Joe Riggs failed to make weight (reweighed 2 pounds over... after initially weighing 1 pound over), so his match against Hughes will be a non-title fight (as it should have been in the first place).

 

If Riggs can't get ready for the scale, how can he get ready for Hughes?

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I am officially rooting for Nick Thompson.

 

"My second year there, I made some fake IDs for me and some buddies so that we could get into the local pubs. I got arrested for it, it was in the papers and the team decided to cut me. Their decision might have been made easier given that I wasn't very good and that I often missed the 6 am morning team run. Honestly, who gets up to run at 6 in the morning, outside, in the winter?"

 

"I keep coming after you non-stop. You can beat my ass for 14 minutes and 30 seconds and that last 30 seconds of the fight, I am still going to come after you with everything I have. I am not going to break, I am not going to quit and will find a way to win. That, and I am not afraid to check a man's oil if means getting him into a submission hold. "

 

"Diego is a tool. For Christ sakes, he had a man perm and a Don Juan mustache for his first UFC fight. That's funny if he had meant it to be funny but he didn't. He thought he looked good."

 

"I think if I have my best day and my opponent has their best day, I would beat anyone at 170 except the top 3. I think Hughes, St Pierre and Sherk

are way ahead of the field and I know have lots of work until I get to their point. When considering where I rank myself though, it must be taken into account that I am full of myself."

 

"The best fighters in the world fight here (UFC). I think I am one of the best fighters in the world and I am looking forward to proving it. Not to mention, I think after being in the UFC, It will finally be appropriate to speak in the third person. Nick Thompson likes the sounds of that."

 

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/templa...=1065&zoneid=13

 

For the entire interview.

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Joe Riggs failed to make weight (reweighed 2 pounds over... after initially weighing 1 pound over), so his match against Hughes will be a non-title fight (as it should have been in the first place).

 

If Riggs can't get ready for the scale, how can he get ready for Hughes?

 

The NSAC fucked up big time.

 

http://www.insidefighting.com/betweenRound...p.aspx?uid=2490

Riggs, a former 300-pound heavyweight, looked extremely drained when he entered Studio 54 inside the MGM Grand for the official weigh-ins. Initially ruled 171.5 pounds over the limit, he removed all his clothing behind a towel held by his teammates and stepped back on the scale. This time, Commissioner Marc Ratner announced Riggs at 171 pounds. That was around 4:00 pm PST.

 

Under the rules, Riggs was given two full hours to make the weight. So the brash young star returned to the sauna to try and sweat out the final pound.

 

He returned just over an hour later. The new official from the NSAC initially indicated that he was still over the limit by less than a pound.

 

Riggs left and returned about 30 minutes later. In a strange turn of events, the second-time welterweight was now 172 pounds, indicating that he’d gained weight since his last weigh-in attempt.

 

The Diesel was furious. With less than 25 minutes remaining to make the weight, he announced: “I can’t do it. I can’t make the weight.”

 

Riggs was confused, frustrated, annoyed and basically at war with himself and the scale mentally at that point. Hughes, who had returned to witness the events, embraced Riggs at that point, and the hopeful title challenger apologized to Hughes and his manager Monte Cox.

 

At that point, Riggs left the room while drinking a bottle of water. With only about 15 minutes left to make weight, he was done trying, which was understandable given the time constraints and the fact that he’d somehow gained weight since his previous attempt.

 

Shortly after Riggs walked out, the NSAC official realized that the scale was mis-calibrated. He Riggs’ team ran out to get him for one more attempt. But the water intake ruined any chance at getting an accurate weight.

 

In his fourth and final attempt, Riggs weighed 172.5 pounds.

 

At that point, Zuffa President Dana White arrived to decide what to do. According to the NSAC, it was up to Zuffa whether the fight moved forward as a five- or three-round bout. After conferencing with Team Hughes and Team Riggs, the group decided on a three-round bout, subject to the champion’s approval.

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Hopefully Riggs realizes that he was never meant to get a shot in the first place and graciously steps aside for better contenders in the like of Karo and GSP, I don't need to hear him crying about how the scale screwed him over like one of Ivan Salaverry's upkicks.

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Guest Brian

I liked the show. Prangley/Horn and St. Pierre/Sherk were both good, as expected. Title fights were short but sweet. And the abysmal heavyweight fight could not even weigh down on the crazy bombshells that were dropped.

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Hughes is in fucking trouble. GSP went through Sherk and dominated in every single fucking area. Good lord.

 

Horn/Prangley was good, a tough one to call. I was scared for Nate after getting destroyed. Fuck that heavyweight match sucked. Hughes looked good, as always. And um, holy shit holy shit holy shit. BJ fucking Penn?

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Guest Brian

I really wanted Gonzaga to do well, but second round was just horrible, and the third aisde from two little burst was not far behind (I guess you could say the ending was big burst.

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My thoughts:

 

Jeremy Horn vs Trevor Prangley was a fun match and I'm glad it went all three rounds because nothing else except the terrible heavyweight match did. I was very impressed by both fighters and thought the decision could have gone either way. Hopefully these guys keep appearing in the UFC because they are both very talented. I don't think many people liked this match but I felt it was good.

 

The Announcements: Mir vs Arlovski? Awesome. Couture vs Liddell 3? Neat-o, and I guess they have to do it quick before anything unexpected can happen. Ortiz and Shamrock? That will be crazy. And BJ Penn? The welterweight division is STACKED.

 

Georges St. Pierre vs Sean Sherk was a very good match. GSP is scary good and he dominated this fight, I felt. The finish was crazy and I loved his interview. "Hughes beat me fair and square, sorry, fairly squarely." GSP vs Hughes 2 will be great.

 

Matt Hughes vs Joe Riggs was what I expected. Riggs is good, but Hughes is incredible and he showed why he is champion. I wonder how Riggs missing weight threw him off his game? Who knows.

 

The heavyweight fight was the worst fight I have ever seen, ever. It was purely embarassing and I am glad it was not on free TV because it would be so damaging to the sport. Hopefully neither man is brought back. That was just terrible. The only redeemable thing was the announcing, as Rogan was hilarious going off on these losers.

 

Rich Franklin vs Nate Quarry was way shorter and more lopsided than I expected. Quarry got KNOCKED. THE. FUCK. OUT. If Nate Quarry falls in the woods and nobody is around, does he make a sound? The answer is yes: "TIIIIMMMMBER!" Holy fuck indeed.

 

The preliminary matches were okay but nothing special.

 

Overall, I enjoyed the show. I cannot wait for 2006, though, because it looks to be crazy good.

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The only thing that kept it from being the worst fight that I have ever seen is that it didn't feature Alexander Otsuka from early in his MMA career. As I recall, I was thinking about killing myself during the Mark Kerr/Heath Herring fight at PRIDE 15 too. That fight redefined boring...up until the end when Herring put Kerr out of my misery.

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The only thing that kept it from being the worst fight that I have ever seen is that it didn't feature Alexander Otsuka from early in his MMA career.  As I recall, I was thinking about killing myself during the Mark Kerr/Heath Herring fight at PRIDE 15 too.  That fight redefined boring...up until the end when Herring put Kerr out of my misery.

That reminds me... if you ever get the chance to see Takada/Cro Cop, don't. You will actually kill yourself.

 

Napao disappointed me. His shots were terrible and aside from the fake leg kick followed by the jumping punch/elbow he looked awful. The guy needs to be locked away to train his stand up and wrestling hardcore as he was scared to engage, had his takedowns stuffed and stood up from and was not able to show his strengths at all. If he's not going to do that, throw him in with Marcio "Pe De Pano" Cruz so we can get a grappling war. It'd be interesting to see if the result would be different to their last notable clash at ADCC since strikes would be a factor.

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