***NO SPOLIERS***UFC 89(The African Assassin returns) Thread

[ATRAIN]

I think a BisPing win will guarantee him a stint as a coach on TUF. SO for that alone i am begging for him to lose. I just really hate that guy.

I really hate him too!! I dont care for Leben but im pulling for him for sure!!

[dbreiden83080]

I really hate him too!! I dont care for Leben but im pulling for him for sure!!

Don't know if your reasons are the same as mine but i never liked him much from TUF 3. The whole show he just rubbed me the wrong way. I was a big Hammil fan, still am. So i was dissapointed he got hurt and Bisping cruised to the finals. I hated him beyond belief though after Matt got absolutely mugged in that fight against Bisping in the UK. Biggest joke i have ever seen and Bisping takes the Mike, and talks , telling Matt to "Go back to wrestling" then Hammill is a class act to the crowd. I have hated Bisping's guts since that day. Also i think the UFC has handed him some easy fights because they want to build up that UK fanbase.

[ATRAIN]

Don't know if your reasons are the same as mine but i never liked him much from TUF 3. The whole show he just rubbed me the wrong way. I was a big Hammil fan, still am. So i was dissapointed he got hurt and Bisping cruised to the finals. I hated him beyond belief though after Matt got absolutely mugged in that fight against Bisping in the UK. Biggest joke i have ever seen and Bisping takes the Mike, and talks , telling Matt to "Go back to wrestling" then Hammill is a class act to the crowd. I have hated Bisping's guts since that day. Also i think the UFC has handed him some easy fights because they want to build up that UK fanbase.

Yeah for those EXACT reasons is why I dont like him. Im not a fan of the Brit assholes though. He is a prick and yeah Hammil getting robbed and him talking was the icing on the cake.

[dbreiden83080]

Yeah for those EXACT reasons is why I dont like him. Im not a fan of the Brit assholes though. He is a prick and yeah Hammil getting robbed and him talking was the icing on the cake.

I also think he is overrated. I have seen really all his fights and nothing blows me away about him. He has good technical strikes, uses his hands, knees and kicks pretty well but he doesn't have much KO power. Hamill did way more damage with punches than Bisping did in their fight. He has decent take-down defense, not much wrestling, he is decent at staying out of submissions, not very good at applying them. I'm really just waiting for a good 185 pder to expose him.

[Evan]

http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content3563.html

[dbreiden83080]

http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content3563.html

I see Josh Haynes is still fighting despite really struggling since TUF 3.

[dallaskd]

bump. predictions on the soku fight? it'll probably end up being a crazy stand-up war.

[Evan]

bump. predictions on the soku fight? it'll probably end up being a crazy stand-up war.

This is the exact type of fight he needs. A good solid fighter who doesn't have a ton of experience like Soku and is still developing his skills.

I think you will be a very happy man OCT 18th.

[djohn14]

I hope your right Evan. It will be crazy fight. Cain-Soku will steal the show.

[Evan]

I hope your right Evan. It will be crazy fight. Cain-Soku will steal the show.

Could very well. Its most likely the die hard in me talking but I find this a very fascinating card.

Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben -Is Bisping a real talent or not?

Keith Jardine vs. Brandon Vera - What happened to Vera? Did he become scared of losing?

Luiz Cane vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou - Lets see that aggressiveness return.

Shane Carwin vs. Neil Wain - Again, mark my words...I have been saying for 2 years Carwin is a future stud at HW.

Marcus Davis vs. Paul Kelly - Will Leonard explode if Davis wins?

PRELIMINARY CARD:

Akihiro Gono vs. Dan Hardy - Can Gono put a real streak together?

Terry Etim vs. Sam Stout - Stout needs a convincing win but I still believe in him.

[djohn14]

I know, I find it very appealing.

[dallaskd]

David Baron vs. Jim Miller

Going with Baron. I forgot this was the same guy that just upset Sakurai.

[djohn14]

That will be a good fight, but Im going with Miller. He is sick. I really do like Barron, but I just dont know.

[dbreiden83080]

Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben -Is Bisping a real talent or not?

I've seen enough of Bisping to feel he is good enough that he'll be in the picture at 185 for some time. I don't see a future great champ in him though, by any means.

[Evan]

Sokoudjou’s mother is coming to the States in December to visit her son, whom she hasn’t seen since he left Cameroon in 2001. She has no idea he is a fighter. The moment will finally come when he has to confess to her what it is he does for a living. For the first time in his life, he will attempt to soften the blow.

“I’m going to have to tell her,” he says. “It’ll be difficult [to conceal] because now a lot of people recognize me and there’s a bunch of articles in magazines and once you get into my house there’s all this gear. I will take her to dinner, and then say ‘hey mom, look—Disneyland!’”

[desflood]

Seen Leben lately? He's turning himself into a real animal.

[Evan]

He must be getting sick of being a gate keeper.

[dbreiden83080]

WOW

Bisping had better be ready because Leben looks like he is taking this as the biggest fight of his career.

[dbreiden83080]

This is an interesting fight because Bisping has not really fought anyone yet at 185. Leben is a good fighter but if the same guy shows up that lost to Kalib Starnes, he's ed.

[Evan]

He certainly is "Mr. Free on eTV" and on the wrong end of one of the greatest UFC arse kicking on all times.

[Evan]

Seen Leben lately? He's turning himself into a real animal.

he's also bringing the comedy

“Fighters are like strippers, they ain’t paying their way through college. You know we all got a bunch of problems and skeletons in the closet.”

[dallaskd]

Sokoudjou’s mother is coming to the States in December to visit her son, whom she hasn’t seen since he left Cameroon in 2001. She has no idea he is a fighter. The moment will finally come when he has to confess to her what it is he does for a living. For the first time in his life, he will attempt to soften the blow.

“I’m going to have to tell her,” he says. “It’ll be difficult [to conceal] because now a lot of people recognize me and there’s a bunch of articles in magazines and once you get into my house there’s all this gear. I will take her to dinner, and then say ‘hey mom, look—Disneyland!’”

That's hilarious. Best of luck to him.

[djohn14]

Ohhh, I forgot his mom dosent know. That will be great!

[dallaskd]

Ohhh, I forgot his mom dosent know. That will be great!

yeah, he has one of the most interesting stories in MMA....


The story of my life begins in Hom'la - Cameroon when I was born in the year 1984. At the age of five, I got involved in Judo through watching TV and a bunch of guys with some white clothes throwing each other. At the time I had no clue what it was, I just started playing around with my friends on the play ground until my brother's friend (Tchapkui Fred) introduced me to Judo.

I fell in love with the sport the first time I got in the gym. I had so much fun. After a few practices I set my goal to get my Black belt. My first match was one of the toughest matches I had ever been in. After that, I decided to better myself and train harder than ever. At the age of 13, I jumped in the adult training session. I was the skinniest, smallest one on the mat. The first thing I got from it was a sprained ankle that kept me stuck home for more than 8 weeks forcing my father to take my Judogi away from me, because I was just thinking about going back to Judo despites the cast on my ankle. As crazy as it sounds, I had to steal my Judogi to go to Judo and hide it at my friend's (Gomez) house afterward. It went on and on until my dad realized what was going on and finally allowed me to attend practices again.

During a Saturday morning session, I saw my Judo sensei being thrown all over the place by Olympic Gold winner Marc Alexandre who was leading a French team to come and compete in The "Tournoi International de la Ville de Youande." I decided I was going to be as good as him. Especially after receiving an authographed picture of the champ. I kept it and told myself, one day I will be an Olympic gold medalist as well and will have my own authographed pictures.

I had a chance to go to the All African Games and two African Championships. I got my butt kicked so bad that I spent some time wondering how that was possible. I thought I was training hard enough.

In my quest for better training for the Olympics, I made the move to the US where Judo America gave me a chance to train and compete as much as possible. During my training in San Diego, CA, I won a few tournaments such as the US OPEN, California State Championships, and the San Jose Buddhist Tournament. I also had a chance to have a match with Olympic class athlete "Shinohara" in 2003 that I won by Yoko after a shy O soto Gari. That motivated me even more. I started training harder and harder.

Unfortunately for me, I didn't have a chance to go back home and attend the Olympic trials due to my visa situation in the States and my finances. I was a student, wasn't working that much (20 hrs a week) and I really couldn't afford the trip. I was so bummed that I threw my gis under my bed because seeing them would remind me of my dream that never came true.

I decided at that point to just focus on my school and work and pay off my multiple debts... nothing else. One night at work, my boss - Lou Demas who was a Greco Wrestler back in the old days, asked me to come out in Temecula to help MMA icon Dan Henderson prepare for a fight against a Judo guy (Nakamura). I wasn't really excited about it because I did not have a good knowledge of MMA. After a few weeks of him trying to convince me into it, and after a bunch of trash talking I decided to get my gi out from under my bed and put it one more time... Just to shut my boss up.

I got to Temecula and did what I knew best... threw people around. After my first night of training with Team Quest, I was so exhausted, excited and curious to learn some boxing and kick boxing so I could do crazy stuff like Jean Claude Van Damme. I always wanted to learn some boxing, but my mom has always been against it. She would tell me: "If you ever start fighting, I will beat you up myself...Boxing isn't for nice people" Scary huh?

But I was in San Diego and she was back in the Jungle so I started training with Team Quest occasionnally. After Dan's fight, I was asked again to help rulon Gardner get ready for his first MMA fight against Yoshida. That's where I really fell in love with MMA. Getting my butt kicked by Rulon made me realize that I really needed to work on my striking. I started learning Muay Thai, got beat down by a girl on my first night. I think she finished me with two leg kicks. I couldn't believe it. I was at least 40 Lbs heavier and way stronger. I didn't expect that kind of thing to happen to me. That gave me a better clue on where I was as far as my striking.

In the gym, I hooked up with my good friend Ricky Guro and we started some insane training. A few months later, I had my first Thai fight. I never knew three rounds of three minutes in the ring could feel like an eternity. Somehow, I won that fight, gassed and super exhausted.

A week later I had my first sanctioned fight that I won by TKO (leg kick). Thereafter, I started my MMA training with Team Quest and after a some practices, I finally had my first MMA fight in San Diego. It was such a fun experience. I had a tough fight against a tough fighter but I came up victorious.

My second fight was a little North, in the State of orgegon - Portland. I got rid of my opponent in the first round with a left kick to the neck... Sweeet!!!

I know I'm still new to this and I have battles waiting ahead of me... I just can't wait to have a fight where I can't even move a finger the next day...

But please don't tell my mom I'm fighting, I will be in BIIIIG Trouble...



The Rameau Sokoudjou story will be continued.

[djohn14]

Thats just awesome. I want it on camera when he tells his mom.