TUF: Brazil / UFC 147: 'Wanderlei vs Franklin 2' *TUF SPOILERS

[Herne's Son]

You gotta be kidding me? First we lose the Faber Cruz fight now this too? TUF seems cursed this year!

[1SinN6]

They had some heat on the show. Wanderlei really wanted to fight vitor... this sucks.. that season was fucking good also.. dammit.

 

Lesnar vs JDS

 

Cruz vs Faber

 

Wanderlei vs Vitor..

 

NOOOOPE

[TildeGuy~!]

Wasn't really surprised Vitor pulled out with an injury.

 

He must be the most injury prone fighter in the UFC right now.

[David]

I'd rather Wanderlei sat out until Vitor was fit, as he doesn't have many fights left in him, and this is one of the few I really want to see.

[wandshogun09]

Look who's reunited

 

 

Great to see Wand and Shogun working together again. It seems to be bringing out some of that old Chute Boxe attitude in Wand as well if this quote on Belfort's injury is anything to go on;

 

"If he really broke his hand, that's very amateurish of him. If he didn't break it, then he just pussed out. Either way, that's lack of respect for the fans"

 

He also responded to Vitor's claim that he could defeat him using one hand only.

 

"One hand? You've got to be kidding me. We're professionals. It was a great lack of responsability not to be careful during training, a lack of respect towards the fans. I'm very sad with all of this. I'm ready to knock you out, and you've got nowhere to run. Run all you want, this fight will happen..."

 

"No one trains so hard or punches so hard that he can break a hand. We use the best equipment, gloves, wristbands. I think he pussed out. If he was afraid, he should've just not accepted the fight."

 

Now obviously I don't agree that Belfort is faking to duck Wand but I like to see signs of the the old Wanderlei.

 

Belfort saying he could win with one hand was cocky as fuck anyway and to be honest I think there's been a couple of times on TUF Brazil where his perfect little goody two shoes persona has kinda cracked. I'm always on Team Wand whoever he fights so nothing's changed there but Belfort's come off as a bit of a big tart to me on TUF and his 'sermons' as Wand calls them are annoying aswell.

 

I like grumpy Wand.

[wandshogun09]

Just seen episode 10, what a start to the semis. Sucks for Damm having to pull out but it worked out because Pepey vs Vina was fantastic, fight of the season so far I reckon.

 

Back and forth all the way, Vina almost stopped him a few times with the ground and pound and Pepey's subs were nasty. Ton of heart from both. Good thing the ref stopped it when he did though cos Vina would've let his arm break.

 

Looking forward to Sarafian/Serginho next week, the staredown in the preview was intense. Sarafian was one of my MW picks from early on and I'm backing him to win the whole thing. The man shits intensity. He has a look about him at all times like he might flip and kill you any second. He's one of them guys like Hendo, he doesn't need to act hard, you just know.

 

I'm predicting the 2 finals will be Sarafian vs Bodao and Pepey vs Jason. With Sarafian and Jason winning.

[David]

The thing that bothers me is that Wanderlei could end up facing someone at the top of their game, like a Stann or a Lombard. A bad loss in such a fight will prompt retirement talk from various sources, including Dana most probably, meaning we'll never get the Belfort fight.

 

I'll say it again, I'd rather he sat out until Belfort was ready.

 

With Rodrigo Damm being pulled it certainly opens up the featherweight tournament as far as I'm concerned. He was always the heavy favourite in my opinion. Pepey fought a smart fight, showing some slick grappling. A little bit of serious training could see him improve seriously.

 

I'm also backing Sarafian to win the middleweight tournament. To be honest, I'll take any one of the semi finalists as long as it's not Mutante.

[wandshogun09]

Yeah I kind of feel like Mutante has sort of got favourable treatment because he's Vitor's mate. He's had a bit of an easier route to the semis than the others I think. I'm hoping Bodao beats him cos I like him and think he'll earned it more.

[jimufctna24]

Nothing to see here

[David]

Wrong thread Jim?

[jimufctna24]

Wrong thread Jim?

Whoops

 

Sorry

[wandshogun09]

I'm surprised this season hasn't got more discussion to be honest. There's only about 3 weeks until the finals so not much time for catching up.

 

It's been a breath of fresh air for TUF for me. Moreso than going live for TUF 15. The format is the same but it feels a lot different to me. And I think a big part of it is that for most of the fighters this really is their one shot at a better life not just a career. You don't see the same kind of determination for the most part on the US version.

 

I've loved this season and I can see a fair few of the fighters going on to do well in the UFC.

[TildeGuy~!]

UFC 147 now has a new five-round main event, as former middleweight champion Rich Franklin will face "The Axe Murderer" Wanderlei Silva in a 190-pound catchweight feature

[jimufctna24]

I have to go with Franklin sadly.

 

Whilst Wand does have power than can trouble Franklin, I see more of the first fight, which I felt Franklin clearly won. I do not see Franklin finishing Wand, Franklin other than the Nate Quarry knockout is not known for his KO Power. However at this stage of the game I fear he will be to technical and elusive for Wand to deal with.

 

I would not be shocked if Wand caught Franklin early, I would love that, but I think it is more likely Franklin will cruise to a points win.

[wandshogun09]

I've gone with Wand by KO and Werdum by decision.

 

I have to go with Franklin sadly.

 

Whilst Wand does have power than can trouble Franklin, I see more of the first fight, which I felt Franklin clearly won. I do not see Franklin finishing Wand, Franklin other than the Nate Quarry knockout is not known for his KO Power. However at this stage of the game I fear he will be to technical and elusive for Wand to deal with.

 

I would not be shocked if Wand caught Franklin early, I would love that, but I think it is more likely Franklin will cruise to a points win.

 

I have faith in Wandy in this fight.

 

He'll be well up for it, right or wrong he thinks he won their last fight and it's a chance to avenge a loss he feels he shouldn't have. I don't think it was a robbery at all, but I did think it was closer than most. Maybe it's me being biased but I think there's an argument there to give Wand rounds 2 and 3. Franklin was on the run a lot in rounds 2 and 3 and looked wobbly a couple of times. I did have Franklin winning 29-28 but I thought that last takedown at the end is what swung it for him.

 

One last point on their first fight, it was a fun fight but I really think Wand's first time cutting weight hurt him. Rogan talked about it on the commentary and I think he was right. Wand's cardio has always been really good but I'd never seen him look so winded as he did that fight. He was a bit all over the place.

 

After that fight he got the surgery on his face and nose which I think has really helped his cardio and breathing too, and he's got his weight cutting down now aswell. He weighed in for the Bisping fight in a hat and shirt and still made 185. He'll be in better shape for this one for sure and Franklin hasn't fought in well over a year.

 

It's a much better fight for Wand than Belfort was. And the fact that Wand's been training for a southpaw helps too. I won't be at all shocked if Franklin wins and I'm not selling him short at all. I'm realistic on Wand these days but I am confident he still has enough to beat Franklin.