I was wondering about this a little as well, but he's a machine so he shouldn't lose his bulldozing ability...especially since we know Bisping can be laid out easy when facing a power hitter when he's just punch/ducking his way to a decision. But there's always a chance Bisping's new humility might show up to make it an exciting match.
Cro-Cop prolly feels backed into a corner, and I feel bad for Rothwell to get a desperate Cro-Cop standing across from him with his fists out. He will find a way to win, and while he'll never be back at least he'll repair some of what he lost when he verbally gave up in the last match.
I agree with you on Mirko, i really want him to win, but he isn't the same anymore. I think his lack of being able to evolve his game and the fact that he doesn't really train in a cage really hurts him. Back when he was in Pride, he was knocking out people left and right, but since then, he hasn't shown much. I really hope he can win, because a win and a good showing will probably guarantee him another fight in the UFC.
He never says so, but I bet Dana White just hates Jardine. He's put down enough le contenders while never getting far enough up to make his own run that he's messed up the big picture for several years nowJardine needs a ko to win this fight and while he is capable of getting it, something tells me it won't come and he'll be in danger of being cut by the UFC with this loss..
White would probably love a reason to have Jardine out of the way - as a fan, I hope Keith doesn't let that happen.
You're right, Jardine has cut down enough guys on their way up that would add some flavor to the weight class, but loses his "mean gene" when his own future is in the balance.He never says so, but I bet Dana White just hates Jardine. He's put down enough le contenders while never getting far enough up to make his own run that he's messed up the big picture for several years now
White would probably love a reason to have Jardine out of the way - as a fan, I hope Keith doesn't let that happen.
I say there's a better chance of Jardine being cut if he wins via Decision than loses TKO.
http://sports.espn.go.com/extra/mma/...ory?id=4921253
Breaking down the UFC 110 main card
The relationship between America and Australia has always been a bit one-sided. Americans were given the greatness of "Crocodile Dundee," beer cans the size of small towns and the backdrop for the post-apocalyptic awesomeness of "Mad Max." In return, Australians received the death and pestilence that comes with hosting a season of "The Real World."
"UFC 110: Nogueira vs. Velasquez" may help even the score Saturday at the Acer Arena in Sydney, as the UFC sets its sights on the land Down Under.
An intergenerational heavyweight bout featuring Brazilian legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and the unbeaten Cain Velasquez will headline the show and could shape the short- and long-term future of the division. More morsels of tasty violence back up the main event: Wanderlei Silva boots up his middleweight run against Michael Bisping, and undefeated super-wrestler Ryan Bader steps into the deep end of the pool against Keith Jardine.
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira versus Cain Velasquez
The breakdown: Any way one looks at this fight, it comes down to how much Nogueira has left in the tank -- a tank that survived being ed by Bob Sapp, grounded-and-pounded into figurative paste by Fedor Emelianenko and any other number of absurd beatings the Brazilian has absorbed.
Velasquez, however, should fear the Nogueira who handled Randy Couture at UFC 102. No one can deny Velasquez's prodigious talent, but this fight represents his first foray into the big leagues of the heavyweight division, and his ground-and-pound-centric style puts him right in Nogueira's wheelhouse -- the guard. Perhaps the most impressive part of Nogueira's performance against Couture was that he not only neutralized the hall of famer in the guard but repeatedly swept him and strung together submission attempts. However, Couture is in the twilight of his career; Velasquez represents a bigger, younger and more dynamic challenge.
One skill that Velasquez possesses -- his deft guard passing at mid-takedown -- will give Nogueira problems. Passing the Brazilian's guard can be akin to escaping a supermax prison, but Velasquez almost always positions himself to land past the guard when executing takedowns, and his fluid movement on the mat makes it difficult for his opponents to regain guard.
Should Velasquez go the ground-and-pound route, Nogueira will have to rely on his submission savvy, not only to regain guard but to work under the relentless pressure his quarry brings. Of course, Velasquez's supreme wrestling gives him the luxury of choosing where the bout goes and when it goes there.
It has never been difficult to draw Nogueira into a striking match, and although Velasquez can't straight-up outbox the Brazilian, he has proven nasty in close quarters. Nogueira's reach and power make him a solid boxer, but he doesn't control range well and his footwork has slowed considerably. That will give Velasquez plenty of opportunity to step inside and force "Minotauro" into a phone-booth fight.
Nogueira has made a career out of taking everything his opponents can bring and turning the tables in the blink of an eye. Velasquez may have responded to every step up in compe ion the UFC has handed him, but nothing can prepare him for this test.
The bottom line: This will be a strong fight, and neither fighter will dominate it. Nogueira will repeatedly clip Velasquez as he advances and will give him fits on the mat. Expect the American Kickboxing Academy product to respond by throwing the entire kitchen at the Brazilian jiu-jitsu demigod, in the clinch and from top control. A coin-flip decision goes to Velasquez, and the rest of the UFC heavyweight division will have someone new to worry about.
Wanderlei Silva versus Michael Bisping
The breakdown: Hard to believe that Silva, a man who has enjoyed one of the most dominant careers the sport has ever seen, has lost five of his past six fights. His move down to the middleweight division serves as his proverbial last stand, but a desperate Silva might be the most dangerous human imaginable, physiologically speaking.
Bisping should be thankful that his whole attack has been built around the stick-and-move philosophy, which will be the only way he survives this fight. However, Bisping lacks the necessary power behind his strikes, and the only way to stand one's ground against "The Axe Murderer" is to crack him hard and often. Bisping was not built to do so. Silva's chin has been problematic for him throughout his career, but he can take anything Bisping throws and walk him down, much like Dan Henderson did at UFC 100. Silva should be even better with that strategy because his leg kicks are an underrated part of his repertoire and will go a long way toward taking the spring out of Bisping's happy feet.
Getting the fight horizontal will be an appealing option for Bisping, but his offensive wrestling consists mostly of telegraphed leg attacks, which will expose him to the possibility of getting locked up in the clinch with a professional sociopath. Regardless, Bisping doesn't have the game to outwrestle and control Silva for the better part of 15 minutes.
Those who can't hurt or take down Silva usually come up short. Bisping can't do either, and the idea of his sticking and moving without sooner or later getting short-circuited seems like a stretch of the laws of probability.
The bottom line: This appears to be the best high-profile middleweight fight Silva could have drawn, and it will show when he hunts down Bisping. The Brit will have to make his own last stand once Silva starts to connect, and he'll pay with brain cells as "The Axe Murderer" connects on a vintage clinch combination of knees for a technical knockout win.
Joe Stevenson versus George Sotiropoulos
The breakdown: Putting together a 4-0 record in the UFC normally secures a fighter some hype, but Sotiropoulos has remained all but anonymous despite his Octagon success thanks to his spot as a regular preliminary-card compe or. That ends with Sotiropoulos' first dip into the main-card pool against Stevenson, a perennial lightweight contender and Satoru Kitaoka clone.
Keeping that undefeated mark intact will come down to Sotiropoulos' ability to force Stevenson to work off his back. Using top control to mesh together his rabid ground-and-pound and Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills has become the backbone of Stevenson's attack. Explosive leg attacks and a newfound ability to combine takedown techniques make Stevenson a slick wrestler. However, his guard has always been the Achilles' heel of his grappling game, and Sotiropoulos has proven dangerous from top control. That said, Sotiropoulos will never be confused as being Stevenson's equal as a wrestler, and he hasn't shown himself as an adept enough striker to keep Stevenson on the end of his jab for the entire fight.
What's more, Sotiropoulos lacks the punching power needed to serve Stevenson a chin-check special. Meanwhile, Stevenson can always fall back on his wrestling and top control, which should be enough to at least break even with Sotiropoulos on the mat.
The bottom line: All the hard work on the undercard will go for naught for Sotiropoulos, as he ends up outclassed in front of his hometown crowd. Stopping the tough Aussie will be a bridge too far for "Daddy," but Stevenson will earn a worthy decision over Sotiropoulos with pitch-perfect top control.
Full Countdown show guys....
Ben Rothwell has dropped out of his UFC 110 matchup against Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic due to illness, according to an announcement made Thursday on the UFC’s Web site.
Anthony Perosh will replace Rothwell in the heavyweight bout, which takes place Saturday in Sydney, Australia.
The UFC also announced that Elvis Sinosic suffered a shoulder injury that has forced the cancellation of his bout against Chris Haseman.
This is bull ..
That had better be a pretty serious illness. This is a big fight that could have had a serious impact on his career, win or lose - and dropping out so close might also have a serious impact on his standing in the UFC.
Exactly why i don't get it. He did all the press for this fight 2 days ago. If your a little sick, man up and fight pal. You just got in the UFC after years of being on the outside looking in. You performed terribly in your fight with Cain. What's the deal??
Could have something to do with the UFC being trigger happy in cutting fighters, some old school guys like Nog fight with staph but more and more of the newer generation of fighters understand that it is better to pull out than to fight sick and lose
Heavyweight Bout: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Cain Velasquez
Probably gonna regret this, because my head is telling me Cain wins, but my heart and emotions are just with Nog here. After watching the countdown show, i am just pulling for him so hard..
War NOG!!!! Although he'll probably lose..
Honestly, I think Big Nog is the safe bet in this fight. Velasquez seems to be able to get dropped and out struck in the standup fairly easily and Nog has a better chin as well as better boxing. So if Velasquez is smart, he'll be taking the fight to the ground. But then again, that's not smart at all, because he's pretty much a one dimensional wrestler on the ground up against a world class Jiu-Jitsu prac ioner. I can see Nogueira winning the standup and ground battle for a decision or getting the sub. I'm not saying Velasquez doesn't stand a chance, he's clearly a hot prospect right now, but I'm thinking Nog's got this one. Maybe he'll prove me wrong.
Nah, Cain has this. I really think Cain is losing his "top prospect" label in echange for his "top 3 or 4 heavyweight" label. I love, love, love Big Nog and hes probably the only HW I wouldnt get mad at if he beat Cain, but I see Cain getting this. Ive been so busy lately I havent got to really post my thoughts on these fights and everything, but Im gonna start back doing that, and im gonna make more time for some good MMA talk.
Here is my thing about this fight.. Nog is so hard to finish and Cain has yet to show big power in his hands. Even in the Rothwell fight he was beating him up but i would not say he was really hurting him. Rothwell was still in it and he took so many shots. Look at the Mir/Brock 2 fight. 3 or 4 big shots from Brock on the ground and Mir was out cold. I see Cain with pace and wrestling taking the decision or Nog going for sub after sub on the ground and catching him.. Not from bottom but getting a sweep and getting the sub from the top. If Nog gets on top i think it is game over.. Either way this is a fascinating match-up..
Hey man, I said this earlier...if this fight happens two years ago, its Big Nog all the way.
I have the sudden urge to change my LW pick to George S. How odd.
He's got to watch out for guard sweeps. Velasquez can't sit in his guard.
Nog
Wanderlei
Sotiropoulus
Bader
Crocop
Do it. Sotiropoulus is the man.
So long Jardine.. He may be gone..
Dammit I missed Keith Jardine getting knocked out again!
Just pop in the footage of the other times it happened..
Jardine v Dan Henderson will be a Strikeforce headliner before the year ends..
2 rounds in Joe and George is a in awesome fight..
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