UFC 77: Hostile Territory

[Mik 0]

Champion Anderson Silva vs. Rich Franklin (for middleweight title)

Tim Sylvia vs. Brandon Vera

Jason MacDonald vs. Yushin Okami

Josh Burkman vs. Forrest Petz

Stephan Bonnar vs. Eric Schafer

Alan Belcher vs. Kalib Starnes

Jorge Gurgel vs. Alvin Robinson

Demian Maia vs. TBA

Jason Black vs. Matt Grice

 

You know, they were showing the previews last night and I got to thinking that we're getting the fight that we all wanted when the heavyweight division was in shambles. I also realized how happy I was to see Vera back in the UFC. I hope he murders Sylvia dead.

 

Also, if Rich Franklin wins back the title I will gag.

 

[Hawk 34 0]

I can't wait for this. The buzz in town has been pretty high even before the announcement was made. Cincinnati is a huge MMA market and we don't all care for the hometown guy. (Hell, I live in the same neighborhood as Franklin and I'm hoping he gets mauled). I missed out on the Columbus show but I think 77 will be great.

[starvenger 0]

I'm indifferent if Ace wins, but if he loses and loses bad it'll be worth it to see Gurgel cry.

 

Vera/Sylvia should be interesting. I know that most people on this here forum would like to see the big ape lose, but a motivated Sylvia can be dangerous. Of course, an UNmotivated, lazy, waddling Sylvia can still be dangerous just because of the reach advantage. Hopefully Vera's watched some tape of Couture dominating Sylvia

[Lord of The Curry 0]

As much as I'd love to see Vera murder Big Timmy I keep getting flashbacks to the Ricco finish. Vera throwing out a leg kick and catching a straight right down the pipe that puts him down,

 

Good show, the hometown hype surrounding the main event will likely distract people from a they-could-have-done-better card. Starnes/Belcher should be solid, ditto for Bonnar/Schafer. J-Mac/Okami has huge potential to be just a straight-up awful fight. I'd say there's about a 10% chance they pull out something entertaining. Okami should just be able to take Jason down and pound him out like Ace did but Okami is a pussy and MacDonald can really only function effectively on the ground.

[Just call me Dan 0]

I love Anderson Silva, but why the sour grapes for Franklin? What don't people like about him?

[Lord of The Curry 0]

He's not Anderson Silva.

[Just call me Dan 0]

Point taken.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

I think a lot of people like him, but they're bandwagon jumping because there's no chance in hell that he wins this fight. Well there's a chance, but it's so miniscule, considering how he looked the last time they fought and how Anderson looked against Nate.

 

I like him, but even I know that cheering for him in this fight is futile.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Haha, I remember when this forum thought Leben was going to dry hump Anderson Silva to a victory. Now they are all riding his jock, I was one of the few Anderson Silva supporters from the start. But either way, glad to see Anderson finally getting the respect he deserves.

[Darthtiki 0]

I'm picking Franklin just because of a) he's one of my favorites and b) this year has been so fucked up that it's worth picking the underdog

[The Niggardly King 0]

Tim Sylvia is going to win in a great fight

[mfn 0]

Stephan Bonnar is the only guy I really even want to see fight.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Omg TUF N00B

 

Kidding but seriously, Bonnar is far from the best thing on this card though that being said he usually puts on a good show,

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Tim Sylvia is going to win in a great fight

 

If Vera doesn't show cage rust, he should win this fight quite easily. He is a more techncial fighter then Sylvia and has a much better skill set. The only clear advantage Sylvia has is his size, but that can only bring you so far.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

And even then, Randy showed that Sylvia doesn't use his size and reach to his potential and if Randy can light Tim up standing then Vera should have no problem.

[The Niggardly King 0]

Brandon Vera ain't no Couture.

 

A motivated Tim Sylvia... even if he's still throwing the same combos over and over is a top 5 Heavyweight.

 

Vera is a few years away from being one of the best.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Brandon Vera ain't no Couture.

 

A motivated Tim Sylvia... even if he's still throwing the same combos over and over is a top 5 Heavyweight.

 

Vera is a few years away from being one of the best.

 

A) Vera has better BJJ and has better submissions then Randy, and on his feet Vera is a lot more speed then Couture.

 

B) Tim Sylvia being even considered a top 5 HW, proves how much the HW divison is lacking. He's a borderline top 10 at very best, he was top 5 at one point, but I have troubles seeing him ever reading it again. Ben Rothwell will end up becoming a better HW then Sylvia ever was, IMO.

 

C) Vera is far from years away, he's basically crushed all mid-level HW's, and proved he is above that. He defiently has the skillset to be an elite HW, take a look at his credentials for yourself.

 

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Make no mistake, this is Vera's toughest test to date. He's more or less bulldozed over Scherner, Eilers, Silva and Mir with relative ease and I just don't see him taking Sylvia out in the same fashion.

[Lord of The Curry 0]

Make no mistake, this is Vera's toughest test to date. He's more or less bulldozed over Scherner, Eilers, Silva and Mir with relative ease and I just don't see him taking Sylvia out in the same fashion.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

This will be a tough fight no doubt, but I still think he should win. Tim has a puncher's chance and not much else. Tim has less options to win the fight. Vera should still cut the weight though. Not even cut, just stop eating large meat lovers' pizzas the day before a fight and you'll be able to make 205 easily.

[starvenger 0]

Well, if he's still got that goal of holding two belts at once, he'd have to, no?

 

You've got it right though. That length has been what has given Silvia such an advantage over his opponents. But as Couture showed, if you can get inside that length is negated. You show too much respect for that length, and Sylvia will win this one in a waddle.

[Lei Tong 0]

I think the biggest factor in this match will be how Vera handles punches flying at him. He admitted to being afraid of Eilers' power, and visibly froze when Silva started throwing at him. It's been the one worry in my mind since back when discussing the possiblity of this match for the HW title.

[Just call me Dan 0]

Silvia is fighting for his job. I think he's going to be very motivated and Vera will lose and drop to LHW.

[Ripper 0]

I would just like to say I am picking Franklin in the rematch.

 

 

That is all.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

I would just like to say I am picking Franklin in the rematch.

 

 

That is all.

 

You've been hating on Anderson Silva pratically every post I've seen you post on him. If he hasn't impressed you with the Marquardt fight, then you need to stop sipping on the haterade. Marquardt is a more overall skilled then Franklin ever is, his overall grappling is much better then Franklins. If anyone had the perfect style to defeat Anderson Silva, it was him(although Henderson at 185 could beat Silva I don't think Lindland would be able to).

 

Franklin should do better in the rematch(he can't do worse then the 1st fight), but really whats he going to do? Take him down? Although Franklin has above average wrestling, Anderson has proven he is dangerous off his back and could damage Franklin. His BJJ is better then Franklins, striking it's not even close. I just can't see how Franklin can win this fight. Home town advantage? Anderson was booed out of the building the 1st fight, so I can't see how this will effect him.

[reign 0]

The fact that we've seen some of the craziest fights this year would lead me to believe that Anderson should not be considered a sure bet..Franklin was beat to to hell before he even got in the ring and got crushed by Anderson in their first fight. Didn't he go through a divorce too? I know Silvas a bad mothafucka but I give Franklin way more than a punchers chance...

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

He didn't go throguh a divorce, Matt HUghes had to console his wife ringside as it happened.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

The fact that we've seen some of the craziest fights this year would lead me to believe that Anderson should not be considered a sure bet..Franklin was beat to to hell before he even got in the ring and got crushed by Anderson in their first fight. Didn't he go through a divorce too? I know Silvas a bad mothafucka but I give Franklin way more than a punchers chance...

 

Please don't resort to lame excuses like "was beat as hell" and "went through a divorce". Anderson Silva was the better fight that night bottom line. If Rich wasn't ready for the fight, he wouldn't have agree to it in the 1st place. And as far as I know, Rich never went through a divorce and is still happily married. Infact wasn't his wife there in attendence when Anderson Silva smashed his face in the 1st time?

 

Yes Franklin certainly has a chance, saying he doesn't is just being stupid. But your reasoning is just outrageous.

 

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

He didn't go throguh a divorce, Matt HUghes had to console his wife ringside as it happened.

 

Thank you for also clarifying this.

[Mik 0]

I think if Rich has a chance of winning the fight, he needs to have a better gameplan.

 

Standing in front of Anderson and hoping to outstrike him is only going to land you with a one way ticket to dreamland.