Jump to content
TSM Forums
Sign in to follow this  
Lord of The Curry

UFC 89: Bisping vs Leben

Recommended Posts

I am. I forgot to mention this last night but the countdown was on. I recorded it but I'd imagine it's the same high quality they have been busting out for the past few months.

 

It was much earlier in the week then normal... I bet a lot of people missed it.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It was good but I'm surprised at how much they focused on Bisping/Leben. Jardine and Vera both got a 6 minute segment at the very end, that's it. Leben's story was good, goes back all the way to TUF 1 and his father issues and it focuses on him now being clean and sober and how being a coach in Hawaii has changed him.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I have a bad feeling that Bisping/Leben is going to be very dull, and that Bisping is going to be so concerned about losing in the first UFC event he's headlining in his home country that he's going to turn the fight into a defensive stalemate. I have similar concerns over the Jardine/Vera fight, in that I expect Vera to turn things into his now usual borefest, so I'm hoping for Jardine to knock him out cold. Looking forward to the rest of the card too, and it should be really good.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I fully and utterly expect Jardine to bulldoze through Vera. Then again Jardine is one of the most talented yet inconsistent fighters out there so it's fairly possible he shits the bed.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm amazed at the guys dishing it out to Vera on here. Even if Jardine comes in at 110% there's no way he has his way with Vera. Vera is one of the most well-rounded guys at the heavier weight classes, nobody will run through him. He's had a couple of lacklustre performances, but I see him making a big statement at this show. I'm fairly confident he'll pick apart Jardine on the feet en route to either a TKO, or more likely a decision.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Jardine has a good shot of winning if he can intimidate Vera standing, as Jardine has deceptive power in his hands, and vera doesn't handle punches well. However, Vera will enjoy advantages in most other areas, including striking at range, the clinch, wrestling, and his chin is made of sturdier stuff than Keith's. The ground game is a bit tougher to call, as Vera's ground game hasn't been as hot as it should be given his background, while Jardine's ground game is no joke (submitting Gamburyan was more impressive than just about anything else he's done outside of the Liddell win). However, I'd give the advantage on the mat to Vera, simply due to his wrestling skill and experience grappling with HW's like Werdum, Scherner, Whitehead, etc.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Vera has showed me nothing since he has come back, except he can make every excuse in the book for his bad performances.

 

The best way to beat Jardine is to go at him straight from the get-go, like Wanderlei and Houston Alexander did... Vera isn't that kind of striker, he's a techncial striker who likes to set up his shots, which gives Jardine a great chance to win. I'm sure Greg Jackson has come up with a great gameplan to get Jardine ready to beat Vera, and I'm predicting Jardine will win by UD.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm excited for this fight. I'm not sure why. Leben's really impressed me the last few times he's fought. Not because he's really gotten better, but because he just wants to win so bad that his body won't go down. On the Bryan & Vinny show at F4O they called Leben's style "Zombie-Fu" if only because he just keeps coming. Like Nogueira stated on The Ultimate Fighter last night...You can't teach heart, and if anything, Leben has that in excess.

 

Bisping's been pretty protected, and theoretically he should be further along then Leben, but I don't think he has Leben's power, nor has he really faced anyone with Leben's power. Outside of Hamill, he hasn't faced anyone as mentally strong as Leben either.

 

So if I had to pick, I'd say either Bisping wins by UD just because he flies around Leben like a hummingbird and lands shots but doesn't drop Leben, or when Leben finally catches Bisping he drops him for a TKO/KO.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Bisping's been pretty protected, and theoretically he should be further along then Leben, but I don't think he has Leben's power, nor has he really faced anyone with Leben's power. Outside of Hamill, he hasn't faced anyone as mentally strong as Leben either.

 

Did you forget that Bisping faced Rashad Evans?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Great news...

 

We Canadians, get UFC 89 live on Sportsnet... 3:00 pm ET, 12:00 PT.

 

So we're getting this AND the Spike feed?

 

Weigh-in notes....

 

- Did somebody tell Marcus Davis that they're now drug-testing in the UK? Dude looks the smallest I've ever seen him.

 

- Gono with the afro wig is teh shit.

 

- Vera still looks unhealthy at 205.

 

- Leben and Bisping both looked great.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Great news...

 

We Canadians, get UFC 89 live on Sportsnet... 3:00 pm ET, 12:00 PT.

 

So we're getting this AND the Spike feed?

 

Pretty much.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yeah, could be Rich Franklin instead of Hendo. I like Rich, but he didn't really stand out as a coach last time enough to bring him back. Although he does give off a good American vibe.

 

UFC 89 looks good, but feels like UFC 70 almost. I know it's on free TV, but I expect more out of the numbered shows I guess. Solid card, but Bisping vs Leben just doesn't feel like a main event

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I wish i could get this live and free, in Australia not only do we get this one on a days delay, but we still have to pay for it like every other PPV. This stupid country.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Good show. Taylor/Lytle and Sokodjou/Cane were both very entertaining with Taylor/Lytle being an absolute FOTYC.

 

Vera/Jardine was pretty entertaining and razor close. I had 29-28 for Jardine as well. I think the final 15 seconds of both the 1st and 3rd rounds is what ultimately swung the fight in Jardine's favor.

 

And another impressive win for Bisping. Leben looked in the best shape of his life but he still had no answer for Bisping's crisp striking. He's probably going to get a title shot now.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×