UFC 119: Mir vs. Cro Cop September 25, 2010

[ace3g]

suppose to be Big Nog and Little Nog as the co main event but now this.

This was the official poster
http://www.themmanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/ufc119.jpg


Mirko “Cro Cop” To Step In For Injured “Big Nog” Nogueira At UFC 119

An earlier report by Fighters Only Magazine, has UFC 119 co-headliner Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-6-1) dropping out of the September 25 bout. Now the site is reporting that former PRIDE champ Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipović (27-7-2) has been tagged as his replacement to face former UFC heavyweight champ Frank Mir (13-5).

Nogueira was forced to withdraw from the UFC 119 event due to an injury but no word was given as to the exact nature, but that it will requires surgery.

The bout was to have been a rematch between the heavyweights after their first meeting at UFC 92 in December of 2008. Mir earned a TKO victory over “Big Nog”, the first KO loss of Nogueira’s career at the time, to win the interim heavyweight title. Afterward it was learned that Nogueira had suffered a nasty staph infection just 20 days before the fight and had spent 5 days in hospital.

“Cro Cop” makes his return to the octagon after defeating Pat Barry in May at UFC 115 in Vancouver, Canada. That win improved the Croatians recent record in the UFC to 3-1 (4-3 overall in the promotion) and two straight since his loss to Junior dos Santos via submission (eye injury) at UFC 103 in Texas.

Mir is coming off a loss in his second run at a UFC interim title having been KO’d by Shane Carwin at UFC 111. He is 1-2 in his past three but 4-2 in his past six bouts, having defeated Cheick Kongo at UFC 107 and losing to UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar last summer at UFC 100.

UFC 119 will go down at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana on Sept. 25 with the co-main event featuring Nogueira’s brother “Little Nog” Antônio Rogério Nogueira who takes on Ryan Bader. Two of the preliminary bouts of the event will be broadcast live on Spike TV which include matches between C.B. Dollaway vs. Joe Doerksen, and Matt Mitrione vs. Joey Beltran.

http://www.themmanews.com/?p=18558

[dbreiden83080]

It's a better fight than what was originally planned for sure..

We need an official fight poster in the future Ace.. :p:

They gotta make a new poster anyway..

Edit:

UFC gotta change that.. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/22/UFC_119_Indy.jpg

[ace3g]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news;_ylt=Ai73y2uAcj.Ax35cRAoxOZw9Eo14?slug=ys-mmaweek081610

Big Nog out because of hip surgery

[dbreiden83080]

there we go Ace the poster i love it...

Nog might wanna call it a career..

[ace3g]

4vml8I9bcOk&feature=player_embedded

[The TroutBum]

Holy shit, I can't wait for this fight. These are my two favorite fighters, so I'll be happy with whoever wins. FUCK YES!

[desflood]

Hope Cro-cop kicks his head clean off.



(Mir irritates me)

[Stringer_Bell]

I like both these guys, but the second Mir starts running his mouth to hype it up I'll choose a side - and it ain't going to be Mir.

Also, seems like a decent card now. :p


Poor Big Nog, I think it's over when the hips start breaking.

[dbreiden83080]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/df/UFC_119_Poster_2.jpg


Main card
Heavyweight bout: Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipović
Light Heavyweight bout: Antônio Rogério Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader
Welterweight bout: Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham
Lightweight bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens

Preliminary card

Middleweight bout: C.B. Dollaway vs. Joe Doerksen
Heavyweight bout: Matt Mitrione vs. Joey Beltran


Preliminary card

Lightweight bout: Thiago Tavares vs. Pat Audinwood
Lightweight bout: Steve Lopez vs. Waylon Lowe
Welterweight bout: TJ Grant vs. Julio Paulino
Heavyweight bout: Mark Hunt vs. Sean McCorkle

[ace3g]

bump

[dbreiden83080]

bump

Oops sorry about that Ace

I'll merge them..

[8FOR!3]

I'm much more excited about seeing Mir fight Cro Cop then Nog again.

[dbreiden83080]

I'm much more excited about seeing Mir fight Cro Cop then Nog again.

agreed

100%

[benefactor]

So is it PPV or not?

[dbreiden83080]

So is it PPV or not?

Says Spike in the title..

[benefactor]

Says Spike in the title..
Look at the poster.

[dbreiden83080]

Look at the poster.

You're right i just double checked on UFC.com, they must have changed it. This was supposed to be a free card a few months ago.. Not a great card for PPV if you ask me..

I'll change the title..

[Stringer_Bell]

Fine, bitches, I'll go first!

Main card
Heavyweight bout: Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipović
- I'm down for the Cro-Cop til it's over and will cheer for him, but I don't see him winning this fight. Mir is bigger and faster, I think, and it'll prolly end up like the JDS fight. :(
Light Heavyweight bout: Antônio Rogério Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader
- I feel the Nogs will continue having bad luck and Bader outwrestles Lil Nog to a decision.
Welterweight bout: Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
- He's smaller, but don't forget he's got amazing power behind his punches and will work his ground game at will against a big brawler like Lytle.
Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham
- Could go either way, I think Sherk will have rust and Dunham is really dangerous and will probably become the Chris Lytle/Chris Leben of LW.
Lightweight bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens
- Personally, I think it was a bad move for Melvin to call out Stephens after a freak KO win. Stephens will beat him up.

It's not a bad card, and I could see 3 matches being cadidates for fight of the night. Serra and Sherk return too, people used to pay good money to watch those guys. It's too good to be on free TV and just good enough to be on PPV, you just have to trust that Serra and Sherk stay in company form and try to put on a show against some hungry opponents. Mir and Cro-Cop will handle their end of the deal.

[CubanSucks]

2 good fights and that's it, fuck that shit. So when was Dana White gonna make it back up to the fans for Silva/Maia?

[dbreiden83080]

2 good fights and that's it, fuck that shit. So when was Dana White gonna make it back up to the fans for Silva/Maia?

Yeah i am positive this was gonna be free but now it is not.. When you think about it this is not a PPV card and the UFC are nuts to sell it as one. Mir is only a head-liner when he is fighting someone like Brock. On top of which he has been brutally finished in 2 of his last 3 fights. Cro-Cop is a legend but not a huge PPV draw and is no longer in his prime.. Rest of the card is cool for free TV but not 50 bucks in a PPV..

[dallaskd]

Heavyweight bout: Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipović
Light Heavyweight bout: Antônio Rogério Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader
Welterweight bout: Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham
Lightweight bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens



Lil Nog is going to contend for the LHW title in the next year..

[The TroutBum]

Heavyweight bout: Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipović
Light Heavyweight bout: Antônio Rogério Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader
Welterweight bout: Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham
Lightweight bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens



You're only picking Cro-Cop to spite me, I can feel it. May it burn you like Satan's herpes.

Anyhow, my picks:

Heavyweight bout: Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipović -- this is a no-brainer. Mir is going to put the nail in the coffin of ol' Mirko. I would totally have intercourse with Cro Cop, but he's just not going to win.
Light Heavyweight bout: Antônio Rogério Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader -- Bader is a tool, but I'm totally over the Nogueira's.
Welterweight bout: Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle -- Serra is too old and too slow. To top it off, he's an ass hole.
Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham -- Hell yes, welcome back Sean!
Lightweight bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens -- Got to go with Melvin just because he's a Utah boy. I like Stephens, but Guillard is SO fast.

[desflood]

Let the rumors and denials and freakouts begin again. Found this on bloodyelbow:



Local internet site index.hr published a short piece in which a source close to Filipovic's camp claims that:

"MIRKO Filipovic has suffered a serious eye injury during today's practice. The nature of the injury is such that his upcoming fight against Frank Mir scheduled for 25. September is in question."

[polandprzem]

Which HW is available right now for Mir?

[ace3g]

if this is true; first Belcher, now Cro Cop; fighters need to start wearing protective pads over their face or something

[polandprzem]

if this is true; first Belcher, now Cro Cop; fighters need to start wearing protective pads over their face or something

how do you think it would work?

[ace3g]

how do you think it would work?

the only thing I can think of are those head gears that Boxers wear, but I'm pretty sure MMA fighters wear the same thing in sparring/training

http://mixedmartialarmor.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Everlast-Head-Gear.jpg

but even then, there is a space where someone could get a finger through that could poke you in the eye.

And the thing is unlike in basketball and other sports; where you can wear protective glasses (Amare for example) those wouldn't be allowed in MMA because that would seem like a unfair advantage.

[polandprzem]

well plastic all over your face is an advantage
glasses?
If somebody would punch you in the glasses it would be fun huh?

there is not much you can do

[ace3g]

I know and I was speaking in terms of sparring/training (which is where a number of these type of injuries occur) of course they wouldn't wear anything like that in the ring during the actual fight; but they need to come up with some type of precautions during sparring/training so they can make it to the actual fight night

[polandprzem]

I know and I was speaking in terms of sparring/training (which is where a number of these type of injuries occur) of course they wouldn't wear anything like that in the ring during the actual fight; but they need to come up with some type of precautions during sparring/training so they can make it to the actual fight night

some do, some don't

They know the risk


How many times you could see GSP wearing all the protecting stuff. You could not recognize him.
Well you could- he has specific movement

[The TroutBum]

let the rumors and denials and freakouts begin again. Found this on bloodyelbow:



Local internet site index.hr published a short piece in which a source close to filipovic's camp claims that:

"mirko filipovic has suffered a serious eye injury during today's practice. The nature of the injury is such that his upcoming fight against frank mir scheduled for 25. September is in question."


fuck!

[Stringer_Bell]

http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Update-UFC-Denies-Cro-Cop-Injury-Report-26953

Plus Dana's twitter says Cro-Cop is fine.

[desflood]

Excellent. Let the rumors and denials and freakouts cease.

[The TroutBum]

I don't believe anything that White says.

[dbreiden83080]

I don't believe anything that White says.

Nor should you..

If CC doesn't fight, UFC is looking at about 10,000 PPV buys for this.

[The TroutBum]

Nor should you..

If CC doesn't fight, UFC is looking at about 10,000 PPV buys for this.

Exactly.

[dbreiden83080]

Here the scoop on Cro Cop guys..

http://sherdognet.craveonline.com/index.php#http://www.fightersonlymagazine.co.uk/news/viewarticle.php?id=5292

“It was the very last minute of the very last round of the very last sparring,” CroCop told Fighters Only staff writer John Joe O’Regan today. “We were sparring in UFC gloves and my sparring partner - who is about 120 kilos, Croatia’s best thai boxer - he poked me in the eye. The pain was like… I cant even describe it, the pain was so big I thought he had blinded me.

“Luckily there was a TV crew in the room and also some reporters from two websites. Frank Mir has talked this and that, maybe if nobody had seen this and there was no video, he would again be saying I am trying to make excuses. But no excuses, it is just bad luck. All I need now is for my plane to be hit by lightning tomorrow and crash into the Atlantic.

Quote:
“I went to see a doctor and he advised that the eye should be rested minimum two weeks. But I have made a commitment to the UFC and a commitment to the fans, so there is no question of backing out of the fight. I do not want to let anyone down, I know they could not find a replacement for me at this short notice and many fans have already bought tickets for the show.”

CroCop is currently having to wear an eye-gauze and has a saline solution to use on the injured eye, which requires further examination but appears to have suffered a severe abrasion to the cornea. CroCop says his vision is “almost normal” from the eye and “I hope it could be back to normal in a week”.

[The TroutBum]

I love Cro Cop. I love Mir. This is like an orgasm for my fists.

[dbreiden83080]

I'm hoping CC can find that lousy chin Mir has

but odds are way against it now..

[BlairForceDejuan]

Here the scoop on Cro Cop guys..

http://sherdognet.craveonline.com/index.php#http://www.fightersonlymagazine.co.uk/news/viewarticle.php?id=5292

“It was the very last minute of the very last round of the very last sparring,” CroCop told Fighters Only staff writer John Joe O’Regan today. “We were sparring in UFC gloves and my sparring partner - who is about 120 kilos, Croatia’s best thai boxer - he poked me in the eye. The pain was like… I cant even describe it, the pain was so big I thought he had blinded me.

“Luckily there was a TV crew in the room and also some reporters from two websites. Frank Mir has talked this and that, maybe if nobody had seen this and there was no video, he would again be saying I am trying to make excuses. But no excuses, it is just bad luck. All I need now is for my plane to be hit by lightning tomorrow and crash into the Atlantic.

Quote:
“I went to see a doctor and he advised that the eye should be rested minimum two weeks. But I have made a commitment to the UFC and a commitment to the fans, so there is no question of backing out of the fight. I do not want to let anyone down, I know they could not find a replacement for me at this short notice and many fans have already bought tickets for the show.”

CroCop is currently having to wear an eye-gauze and has a saline solution to use on the injured eye, which requires further examination but appears to have suffered a severe abrasion to the cornea. CroCop says his vision is “almost normal” from the eye and “I hope it could be back to normal in a week”.

Too bad for Zeus, Mirko would head kick his dome before the bolt hit the plane.

[angelbelow]

Heavyweight bout: Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipović
Light Heavyweight bout: Antônio Rogério Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader
Welterweight bout: Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham
Lightweight bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens

Just dont like Mir.. but my gut is telling me he wins this pretty easily..

[ace3g]

my predictions!

Main card

Heavyweight bout: Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipović
Light Heavyweight bout: Antônio Rogério Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader
Welterweight bout: Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham
Lightweight bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens

Preliminary card (Spike TV)

Middleweight bout: C.B. Dollaway vs. Joe Doerksen
Heavyweight bout: Matt Mitrione vs. Joey Beltran

Preliminary card

Lightweight bout: Thiago Tavares vs. Pat Audinwood
Lightweight bout: Steve Lopez vs. Waylon Lowe
Welterweight bout: TJ Grant vs. Julio Paulino
Heavyweight bout: Mark Hunt vs. Sean McCorkle

[dallaskd]

lol trout

im loving the Cro Cop predictions.. keep em coming guys

[dbreiden83080]

I want CC to win but the eye injury is worrying me..

[The TroutBum]

lol trout

im loving the Cro Cop predictions.. keep em coming guys

You all are going to be eating a big ol' shit sandwich when Mir delivers a crushing left hook, followed by a RNC. Goodnight Mirko, it was great while it lasted.

[dbreiden83080]

I'll do my picks tomorrow and update the standings after this weekend. Got a few cards to add to it..

[dbreiden83080]

Main card


Heavyweight bout: Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipović
Might be letting my fan-boy do the talking here but i'll bank on Mir not having much wrestling and this fight having to stay standing and CC getting the better of it. On the ground is all Mir but he should have trouble getting it there.. Mir can strike, he might be faster than CC since he is coming into this lighter (About 250) but if CC is agressive with his kicks and doesn't let Mir back him up, the stand-up should be his. When CC gets backed up like Kongo did to him he loses. He has to press forward the whole fight..

Light Heavyweight bout: Antônio Rogério Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader

Bader fights smart and it's a winnable fight for him. He gets too over-confident in his striking and he'll lose. Lil Nog looked very bad last time out. Bader may be a contender.. This fight will reveal if he's ready..

Welterweight bout: Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle

I have said this before my policy is i never pick against my boy Lytle. He's a true warrior, never backs down, never is in a boring fight. Actually the last boring fight he was in was Serra years ago.. :lol

Both good strikers but Lytle is more technical with his punching, JJ basically cancels eachother out. I say Lytle by KO or decision..

War Lytle!!!

Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham
Sherk coming off a huge layoff, he has slowed down considerably at 37 years old and Dunham is a comer. Dunham by decision..

Lightweight bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens

Melvin has been rejuvinated since joining Team Jackson, he has looked great lately..

[polandprzem]

Main card

Heavyweight bout: Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipović
Light Heavyweight bout: Antônio Rogério Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader
Welterweight bout: Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham

Heavyweight bout: Mark Hunt vs. Sean McCorkle

[desflood]

Mir weighed in at 252. He's going to gas three minutes in.

http://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Mir-Cro-Cop-Greenlit-for-UFC-119-27098


Main card

Heavyweight bout: Frank Mir vs. Mirko Filipović
Light Heavyweight bout: Antônio Rogério Nogueira vs. Ryan Bader
Welterweight bout: Matt Serra vs. Chris Lytle
Lightweight bout: Sean Sherk vs. Evan Dunham
Lightweight bout: Melvin Guillard vs. Jeremy Stephens


Preliminary card

Lightweight bout: Thiago Tavares vs. Pat Audinwood
Lightweight bout: Steve Lopez vs. Waylon Lowe
Welterweight bout: TJ Grant vs. Julio Paulino
Heavyweight bout: Mark Hunt vs. Sean McCorkle

[polandprzem]

Mir weighed in at 252. He's going to gas three minutes in.

What?


He was over 265 against Carwin

[dbreiden83080]

pihR3132NRQ

[The TroutBum]

Oh man, Mir is gonna kill him.

[Stringer_Bell]

Mirko will be the stronger puncher/kicker, but the question is WHEN he gets bullied against the cage or takendown. I see Mir going into asshole mode and this ending badly for Mirko's limbs...cementing Mir's status as #1 MMA D-bag. Personally, I like Mir, but he does say some crazy shit that I can understand people REALLY hating him for.

This will be an exciting card, lots of experienced guys that know how to put on a good show for the fans.

[Rip-Hamilton32]

Mirko
Bader
Sherk
Lytle
Guillard

[Stringer_Bell]

Guillard didn't win that fucking fight, what a joke.

[ace3g]

another victory for the Greg Jackson camp, I picked Stephens as well, but that fight was tough to judge

[MannyIsGod]

another victory for the Greg Jackson camp, I picked Stephens as well, but that fight was tough to judge


Boring as shit fight.

[MannyIsGod]

Guillard didn't win that fucking fight, what a joke.

The problem is neither did Stephens. Its a shame they can't give them both a loss.

[MannyIsGod]

On the other hand, that was great. Still think Evan loses the decision though.

[ace3g]

last fight just showed that refs are convinced by cuts and blood in their decision but Dunham won that fight

[MannyIsGod]

Yeah, but really the problem is that he obviously won the 3rd but he started his comeback too late in the 2nd.

[Stringer_Bell]

Great heart by Sherk, but Evan won that match. Fuck that crowd, they should really be yelling "FUCK THE JUDGES!" than booing Sherk...that man got beat up.

They are front runners for FOTN bonus, imo

[ace3g]

I have a live chat going on over here at
http://mmafans.net/pages/chat/ if you want to discuss the fights

[mystargtr34]

Bader with the shutout damn

[resistanze]

LOL @ the main event.

[resistanze]

Ain't that some shit.

[MannyIsGod]

Nice ending to a boring set of fights. Feel bad for people who bought the event tonight.

[The TroutBum]

WAR MIR!
















... or not.

[BlackSwordsMan]

I don't think I've ever fallen asleep during an mma match until today. wow

[ace3g]

Nice ending to a boring set of fights. Feel bad for people who bought the event tonight.

that was the only boring fight of the night, lol

[The TroutBum]

A win is a win. The question is, who does Mir fight next? Too many young guns vying for Brock for Frank to ever get another shot, so who then?

[The TroutBum]

By the way, 5 for 5, bitches. This is what you get for doubting my boy. Suck that, Dallas.

[Stringer_Bell]

The real story of the night is the shitty judges. This is what happens when MMA is introduced to athletic commissions...they get people with no idea what they are looking at to judge the fight. "Yea, Shirley, the takedowns show power and strength and any blood on the other guy means he is losing and badly hurt." Fucking pathetic.

- Guillard tried his best Frankie Edgar impression. Failed, but still won the fight.
- Sherk cut open Evan's forehead and took him down hard in the first round, but took many more shots to his body and head with numerous submission attempts on his person AND STILL won.
- Serra and Lytle had a gentleman's agreement to not go to the ground and settle it on the feet. Not bad, except people bet money on the fighters utilizing MMA.
- Bader and Lil Nog both tried to lose the fight because the loser will have an easier shot to the title than the winner who has to get destroyed by Jon Jones next.
- WTF main event. What were they whispering in each other's ears?!?!?

Also, you all should get onto Ace's chat for UFC 120.

[polandprzem]

- WTF main event. What were they whispering in each other's ears?!?!?

Mir: I love you man
Cro: Hug me Frankie
Mir: like this?
Cro: no put you right arm little bit lower
Mir: like this?
Cro: Yes, that's fine. And do it every time you will get opportunity. i will help you out with this.
Herb: Stop it! Go to the center of the octagon!

[BlackSwordsMan]

ever since cro cop left pride and stopped roids he hasnt been the same

[dbreiden83080]

Sherk decision was garbage
Little Nog lost and looked bad again
Mirko needs to hang it up...

[dbreiden83080]

And War Lytle BABY!!

He beat the shit out of Serra tonight..

[desflood]

Sherk decision was garbage
Once again, Cecil Peoples manages to screw over a bunch of people (myself included), but none more than the winning/losing fighter.

Little Nog lost and looked bad again
I've been underestimating Bader - maybe everybody is...

Mirko needs to hang it up...
I picked Crocop because I wanted him to win, not because I thought he would. That's the last time I do that (well, until Amir fights again :lol).

[desflood]

By the way, the actual numbers for the Sherk/Dunham fight:

http://blog.fightmetric.com/2010/09/sherk-vs-dunham-fightmetric-report.html

Not even close.

[dbreiden83080]

UFC 119 Postmortem: ‘Cro’ Stopped, Dunham Robbed



Monday, September 27, 2010


by Jake Rossen ([email protected])



I think I’ll hop in the DeLorean and have a conversation with my 2002 self. Yes, I think I will.

“Hey, pal. Looking good.”

“Thanks.”

“I realize traveling through time probably deserves attention paid to more important things -- like ending terrorism or stopping Ashton Kutcher from acting, which might amount to the same thing -- but I had to tell you this: in 2010, Frank Mir knocks out Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic.”

“What?”

“It’s true. Knee to the face after three rounds of a very docile ‘Cro Cop’ just sort of staring at him.”

“You don’t say possible things.”

“I swear.”

“Oh, wait, I get it. ‘Cro Cop’ had just been paroled for murdering a middleweight Japanese guy, and he hadn’t trained, and…”

“It was kind of late notice, but then again, so were most of Mirko’s Pride fights.”

“What does this mean?”

“It means Mir got a lot better with his hands, and Filipovic got a lot worse with his, and they sort of met in the middle.”

“That’s pretty depressing. What is it about old fighters getting old?”

“I think we like to remember them at their peak, which means he would’ve needed to retire in 2006. This long, slow march into middle age is a bummer.”

“Did -- I mean, does -- Mirko fight again?”

“I’m not sure. This only happened in my past weekend, and I can’t travel into the future, only to the past.”

“If you can only travel into the past, how are you going to get back to 2010?”

Next For Mir: The winner of Brendan Schaub/Gabriel Gonzaga next month; a rematch with Antonio Nogueira, if he wants to throw a little more dirt on Pride’s corpse.

Next for Filipovic: A fonder farewell to fans in a European event, where the UFC could use his drawing power; Roy Nelson would be interesting.

Next for Sean Sherk and Melvin Guillard: Each other.

Next for Chris Lytle: The winner of Dan Hardy/Carlos Condit in October.


New Questions: UFC 119


Judging.




Cecil Peoples (above) and
Glenn Trowbridge scored
the bout for Sean Sherk.There’s no longer any question that judging reform is needed in MMA -- the new question is whether it will ever happen.

Sean Sherk spent three rounds leaning on Evan Dunham Saturday, but leaning is more or less all he did: Dunham popped up virtually every time he was taken down, clipped Sherk standing using his reach, forced Sherk to fight off at least four tight guillotines, and spent the last 120 seconds bouncing him off the fence with strikes. Despite accruing more damage and having to pull himself out of more danger, Sherk took the split decision. “F--king robbed” is how Dana White described the outcome.

The current system is not working; various observers -- including fans, media members, and myself -- have speculated on either implementing half-points on scorecards, adding judges, adding monitors, or rewriting/clarifying the priority components of a fight. Yet athletic commissions do little else than nod, yawn, and take a long lunch. Forget steroids: the biggest cheat in MMA is going the distance.

Did ‘Cro Cop’ need to be fighting?

Filipovic made no secret of the fact that he treated the Mir fight as a necessary evil: he took it on short notice, his eye was injured, and he had been unsure he even wanted to continue fighting following a win over Pat Barry in the summer.

Sure enough, “Cro Cop” looked disinterested and made hardly any effort to push the pace of the fight or force exchanges. Following the knee that knocked him out, he seemed disjointed that Mir would even try that hard.

There is one overriding trait that seems almost mandatory for fighters: an unshakeable resolve to win. It keeps you hungry, it keeps your defenses up, and it keeps you healthy. If Filipovic is that indifferent to his career, he’ll continue to get hurt.

Dunham/Sherk: Loser up, winner down?

Dunham impressed everyone but judges Saturday, springing up each time Sherk took him down. (There was a time when Sherk taking you down meant you weren’t ever getting up.) Sherk, coming off a year layoff, needed and got a win. But he was unable to hold Dunham down, do any damage standing, or threaten in any way. The records stand, but it’s obvious who has more to offer in the lightweight division.

Is Chris Lytle the UFC’s best-ever .500 fighter?

Lytle started 2010 as a cringe-worthy 6-8 in the Octagon; three straight wins and several Fight of the Night bonuses later, he’s evened things up and made an unlikely bid for a late-career surge. The peppering boxing has come to resemble Nick Diaz, and the submissions are elite-level. At 36 and with six years invested in the UFC, he might become next year’s surprise title contender.

MMA is not boxing, least of all for the fact that athletes are expected to fight killers virtually every time out: pristine or near-perfect records are rare. The lesson? Even a guy who loses half his bouts is still one of the toughest in the sport.


Etc.

UFC President Dana White refused to give a default Knockout of the Night award to Mir for his third-round victory over Filipovic -- the message being that the fight was such a stinker up until then that it didn’t warrant a bonus. Makes sense, but the takeaway is now that fighters involved in snoozers shouldn’t bother pushing the action late…At least two fighters -- Guillard and Mir -- made public apologies for their performances Saturday. Contrition is good, but it doesn’t refund the purchase price…Mark Hunt may be coming to the end of a storied combat sports career: he was submitted by Sean McCorkle in quick fashion during the opening preliminary bout. Aside from a stretch where he had side control on Fedor Emelianenko and early career victories against Wanderlei Silva and “Cro Cop,” Hunt has never been MMA material. Unless Barry wants to exchange with him, the UFC isn’t his place…Buried under the UFC press was early Saturday’s Dream 16 card, which saw Jason "Mayhem" Miller hand Kazushi Sakuraba his second-ever submission loss and the first since Sakuraba became a star in the late 1990s. Poor Saku is so cooked at this point that he makes “Cro Cop” look like Jon Jones.

[cornbread]

Glad I didn't buy this PPV.

[dbreiden83080]

Glad I didn't buy this PPV.

I did.. :depressed

At least i split it with a buddy

[CubanSucks]

I did.. :depressed

At least i split it with a buddy

Glad I'm not the only one that actually pays for events (not this one). I swear it seems like everyone else just gets on the computer. I'll never watch an event with less than 2 friends though, 3 of us all paying 17 dollars is perfectg

[MannyIsGod]

Boring fights imo.

[Stringer_Bell]

UFC 117, 116, 114, 113, 111, 110, 107...that's over $300 I've put to the UFC, but those cards have been worth it IMO. This card is like every card that looks bad on paper every 3rd-4th PPV. It happens, contenders and champions aren't available and they just hope to get guys hungry to put on a show. From the perspective of an up and coming fighter on the prelims, those would be the cards I'd want to be on...you see who is a fighter and who really wants to show up to work, and hope someone notices you.

[dbreiden83080]

Glad I'm not the only one that actually pays for events (not this one). I swear it seems like everyone else just gets on the computer. I'll never watch an event with less than 2 friends though, 3 of us all paying 17 dollars is perfectg

I've streamed my fair share but all the ones i really want to see i pay for..

[angelbelow]

yikes... what an event -_-

[Phillip]

gay

[dbreiden83080]

gay

Yes i didn't respond to your other thread champ

"Waves hello troll"