UFC Options

[Robert]

Any UFC fans?
I got bored with it a long time ago but now I'm interested again.
I happen to catch a marathon rerun of the ultimate fighter show (season 8). I normally can't stand reality shows but found this one entertaining. It was interesting to get a behind the scenes look at what their training regiment is like. I ended up liking it so much, I downloaded or ebayed the other 7 seasons of the show. Now I'm really hooked on watching all the UFC fights. Back in the early glory days it was amazing to watch Royce Gracie completely outclass every opponent. Now I see the same overwhelming technical abilities in Lyoto Machida. It's amazing this guy hasn't been given a title shot yet with a 14-0 record in MMA.
He already easily beaten several previous title holders.
I guess a lot of people have complained his fights are boring. I think he's the most interesting people to watch because his style is completely different than anyone else fighting. Everything from his stance to his striking method is just so far beyond everyone else out there right now. For example he landed a perfect switch-kick in his last match, never seen that before in a UFC fight. I read on 1 site which compiles fight stats, Lyoto Machida lands the highest percentage of strike of all the fighters in the UFC. Not only that, he also has one of the lowest percentages of received strikes, where an opponent tries to hit him an succeeds. It will be interesting to see how well he fights after taking a lot of damage, because it's never happened in his previous 14 fights.

I predict once he gets a title shot in the 205lb division, he will probably set a new record for the longest winning streak.

[Robert]

I agree, it's pretty bad when the under card fights are better than the main event.
Six months ago when I got re-interested in MMA. I did what I always do, read everything I could concerning the subject to learn more about. Now there are several MMA related forums I frequent on an almost daily basis. I've been amazed an entertained by some of the discussion I've read about the Silva/Leites fight. I haven't seen that kind of denial or apologistic debating done by both sides since the political discussions right before the presidential elections. Many of the discussions were just as sad an pathetic as the fight itself.
I laughed whenever I read a Leites fan, describing him failing to his back as "pulling guard". Pulling guard is a sacrifice move to basically jump on your opponent in the closed guard position to pull them to the ground from the clinch. That is not what Leites was doing, he was simply falling to his back in the stupid hope Silva would be dumb enough to drop down on him. Leites didn't have the guts to get in close enough to effectively "pull guard". What he was did had more in common with a turtle ducking into his shell.
I partially agree with people defending Silva performance. Silva is the champ so it's ultimately up to the challenger to push the fight. However, it was painfully obvious Silva could have finished the fight whenever he would have wanted if he had wished to. In stead he decided to play it safe the last 3 rounds an pick up the decision. My biggest problem is...
Silva is ranked as one of the pound for pound best strikers in the world yet he rarely threw any combinations, mainly jabs to keep Leites back.
He pushed forward the majority of the time but rarely attacked beside throwing lots of weak jabs an feints.
My biggest problem with Silva would be the straight side kicks to Leites knee. It's legal but you don't see anyone else using that particular kick because it's considered by many to be a cheap shot and Silva did it repeatedly. I understand these guys are there to fight, which includes the chance of serious or permanent injury but most people don't specifically have that goal in mind. To me Silva was using that specific knee kick out of malice and frustration. In my opinion it ranks right up there with someone kicking to the groin but even worse because it has a chance to end the other guys career or seriously injure him.
Its the complete opposite of how everyone applies arm bars an leg locks. Either one of those submissions could easily break an arm or leg but RARELY ever do because the rules require slow partial force to give the opponent time to tap before risking permanent injury.


I agree with purse penalties for fights like that but you probably won't see it happen. In the Pride fights the judges have penalty cards they can use against fighters. Each card reduces the fighters purse by 10%. A common use for penalty cards is to force the fighters to stay active. Dana White an the UFC have said in the past they would not do it. The reason they gave is because Pride officials are experienced an informed fans of MMA while the UFC has whatever officials they get stuck with, many of whom have little experience with MMA.
According to rumors the more likely fix will be to force Silva to move up to the Light Heavyweight division. Personally I would love to see GSP move up to middleweight and fight Silva. I think that would be a great fight.

I was really sorry to see Liddell lose. I'm a huge fan, sad to see him leave on a loss.

Can't wait for UFC 98
Evans vs. Machida
Hughes vs. Serra
This will be the 1st an probably last PPV I will spend money on.