Cage Fighting/MMA

[Kit]

This peaked my interest.

A congenital amputee -- the condition left him with no hands, two rounded stumps at the elbows and two short appendages with deformed feet at the knees -- Maynard will make his amateur mixed martial arts debut at an Auburn Fight Night show this Saturday at the Auburn Covered Arena in Auburn, Ala.

Maynard had designs on debuting in his native Georgia in 2007, but the Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission refused to sanction him. Alabama has no governing body to oversee MMA competition, which cleared the way for his entry into the cage.

“Part of me is disappointed we had to go this route,” Maynard said. “I can understand the athletic commission’s point of view. They have a lot to lose and little to gain in sanctioning me, but I’m not talking about going out there and competing against the top 135-pounders in the world. On an even playing field in amateur competition, I should be able to compete.”

So, no arms or legs and he’s competing in MMA!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5R75GGUovg

Without a doubt, the guy's impressive, but he has no reach (literally), he can’t punch, or check leg kicks. The bloke fighting him could just keep the distance and kick his face off.

[Peekay]

Maynard lost by unanimous decision. (Kicks to the face were banned, as he counted as a downed opponent.) Apparently he can move across the floor extremely quickly, and can block more of a punch than you might think. I haven't found any fight footage yet, but some of his wrestling/grappling is here - impressive stuff. Fair play to the lad.

[Kit]

Really hope he doesn?t fight again. I mean, he?s a talented wrestler and an inspirational guy, but wrestling isn?t MMA. There?s no rule that says you have to grapple or take the fight to the ground. If he does fight again, I can see him getting brutally KO?d and everyone jumping on the ?ban MMA? bandwagon.

[VR46]

Yeah, good luck to the guy, but it just isn't right.

Everyone seen Ultimate Fighter 0904?

->Open Spoiler<-

Brits 1 USA 0

, that American Darmeques (sp) guy is really getting on my tits, will crack up if he get's KO'd in his first fight.

[Kit]

Great to see that cocky American (who think he’s bloody hilarious) watch on, as our guys picked up the ‘W’ ;I love their sports acronyms ;-0. Also, I could be wrong, but didn’t Dan Henderson say he was their best guy?
Might be a UK whitewash after all.

[VR46]

I've said from the start I think we've got the better team and I fully expect our guys to really trouble the Americans.

[phillai]

Episode 5 is out now, if you look hard enough...
I don't know when that gobby US black dude is fighting but as above, I hope he gets FKO!

I agree, I'm sure UK team will be the better team but as for Bisping beating Henderson, I think Bisping will lose as he is far too one dimensional.

[merf]

its a bit old but just found this, looks like Dana White agrees with my view of Anderson Silva

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9aZugTVwyw

[Soundwave]

My birthday is coming up in June & I fancy getting some of the older UFC's that I've missed on DVD as presents from family & the like but I dont know what one's had good cards.
So can anyone recommend any that I should get from about event 95 backwards??

Ta muchly

Neil

[VR46]

its a bit old but just found this, looks like Dana White agrees with my view of Anderson Silva

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9aZugTVwyw

That's the interview I was on about in post 27 above, Dana seems like a decent level headed chap, that bout did the UFC no favours at all.

[merf]

he seems very funny, a few rants of his on youtube, including one very sweary foul mouthed one at some female journalist.

I do like somebody who isn't afraid to call it like it is.

does show what an odd middle ground UFC exists in between boxing and WWE style wrestling. I know its totally authentic but they seem to want to keep the fans happy, its not just about winning but entertaining. Silva did nothing 'wrong' other than be shockingly dull, which seems to be his style.

[VR46]

Silva is the Johnny Nelson of the UFC world eh.

Dana is funny on The Ultimate Fighter series, he probably swears more than anyone else. Not in anger or anything it's just the way he is. It's good you can still see his genuine enthusiam in the sport and like you say putting on a good show for the fans.

[merf]

i recall Johnny Nelson killing boxing on itv for over a decade with his pacifist defence against Carlos DeLeon(?). that whole Brendan Ingle gym in Sheffield just chain produced awful to watch fighters.

i love the UFC and the way that you always get a decent rapid moving card of good fights, next one is on Setanta 2 this weekend. be interesting to see how it develops over the next couple of years as it grows in popularity, can it remain successful and keep a larger roster of fighters happy with Dana doing his Vince McMahon and hand picking each bout ?

found this good page as well this morning

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma;_ylt=AqzAjROcBtbtw5VRwfcc..RZEo14

[cutmymilk]

Dana White has a lot of Vince McMahon in him. I think the way the sport is handled is the best at the moment. No need for rankings etc, though that would go towards legitimising the sport in eyes of 'proper' sports fans, it would serve to provide bad matchups.

MMA booked well is actually booked exactly like a pro wrestling match. Same as in boxing - look at Mayweather. He adopts a heel persona, cuts some slick promos and make millions in PPV buys. He made the fight with Ricky Hatton what it is - he was such a good talker that I was backing him in the fight, not Hatton. But then, I always side with the heels in wrestling, too!

In UFC, you have Dana White unafraid to run his mouth and a host of fighters that are endlessly entertaining in interviews.

Silva is one of the best but opponents have caught onto the fact that he will only engage with you if you make the first move, and they are hesitant to. Silva needs to bring it in his fights, not wait for someone to walk into a knockout which seems the only gameplan he seems to posess. Problem is, he has the belt and no one looks like they will step in and take it any time soon, though I'd bet thats what Dana wants.

[momobeast]

I personally think that Griffin will take him at UFC 101. Silva hasn't had a "fight" for over 6 months. He hasn't destroyed anyone like the Franklin bouts for ages now. I think he's lost his game a bit, Griffin knows this and will take the fight to him. Coupled with the fact that Silva is going up a weight class for that match up.