UFC 118

[darkstarexodus]

Anyone catch the card last nigh?

I always enjoy watching Nate Diaz fight and he completely outlcassed Davis on the feet before, predictably, submitting him. Props to Davis for refusing to tap because it was his "home market" and didn't want to disappoint the fans. Maynard held to a great, if not particularly exciting, strategy to neutralize Florian, though KenFlo squandered a couple available submissions due to Maynard's one arm looking vulnerable in the third due to exhaustion or poor technique.

And I was excited to see Frankie Edgar dominate BJ the way he did. Edgar's ability to get the takedown, combined with his superior boxing compared to BJ (and not many have ever done that!) made it a shockingly one-sided fight. I thought we'd see a fired up BJ Penn on a mission to destroy Frankie but he looked miles off the pace. Be interesting to see if Frankie can avenge his loss against Maynard when they tilt.

 

[Rosco]

How fucking shit was James Toney ?

 

[Delinquent]

It was so obvious that was going to happen.

 

[ibromurph]

I the like the Diaz brothers fighting style but they don't do themselves any favours with their antics outside the cage. If they had a bit of class or a better manager, they'd be firm fan favourites.

Maynard is clearly going to be the next champ. He dominated Edgar in their previous fight and has all the tools to do so again. Oh and he's hella boring too.

BJ should stay at 155 as he'd beat anyone not named Frankie Edgar if he was motivated (even without a gameplan).

As for Edgar, I actually don't think he's a better fighter than BJ, nor indeed do I believe it was a case of 'styles making fights'. I just think that Edgar has had better gameplans in both fights, and BJ has had shocking poor ones (since when did he become simply a one-dimensional striker?). He should have thrown more legs kicks, mixed things up with takedowns and become more unpredicatable himself. With Frankie's movement he was never going to catch him flush with a punch, which is what he was looking for, for the entire 10 rounds. If BJ had fought smart, he would have won a decision. But IMO he was looking for a KO finish and Edgar was just too good to be finished and stuck to his own gameplan of getting in and out whilst scoring points Domonick Cruz-style.

 

[Rosco]

[quote author=Delinquent link=topic=41658.msg1166254#msg1166254 date=1283178256]
It was so obvious that was going to happen.
[/quote]

Did you see Joe Rogan's face when Toney tried to tell him his ground game was good ? lol

 

[Delinquent]

Haha, yeah. He looked like he'd never stepped outside a boxing ring. What's he been doing for nine months?

 

[darkstarexodus]

[quote author=ibromurph link=topic=41658.msg1166433#msg1166433 date=1283187500]
I the like the Diaz brothers fighting style but they don't do themselves any favours with their antics outside the cage. If they had a bit of class or a better manager, they'd be firm fan favourites.[/quote]

Completely agree. I like 'em though.

Maynard is clearly going to be the next champ. He dominated Edgar in their previous fight and has all the tools to do so again. Oh and he's hella boring too.

Probably true. I hope not though. I like Edgar more. And Maynard is very boring.

As for Edgar, I actually don't think he's a better fighter than BJ, nor indeed do I believe it was a case of 'styles making fights'. I just think that Edgar has had better gameplans in both fights, and BJ has had shocking poor ones (since when did he become simply a one-dimensional striker?). He should have thrown more legs kicks, mixed things up with takedowns and become more unpredicatable himself. With Frankie's movement he was never going to catch him flush with a punch, which is what he was looking for, for the entire 10 rounds. If BJ had fought smart, he would have won a decision. But IMO he was looking for a KO finish and Edgar was just too good to be finished and stuck to his own gameplan of getting in and out whilst scoring points Domonick Cruz-style.

I don't think anyone is really claiming Frankie is actually better than BJ but Penn looked awful. Flat, one-dimensional, not involved. I thought he'd come out fired up and would smash Frankie but it was the exact oppposite. Frankie fought a great fight but he wasn't fighting the best BJ Penn, for sure. I like Frankie as a person though and hope he can beat Maynard, though I doubt it.

And Toney was just plain awful. He had one possible way of winning and Randy is probably the best in the sport at gameplans. That low single was both obvious and brilliant and Toney almost fell down on his own when Randy touched his ankle.