UFC on FX 7: 'Belfort vs Bisping'

[wandshogun09]

I'm surprised the UFC have given Roger Hollet a 2nd crack against Prado, i dunno if they are giving him leniance because of 'jitters' but he stunk it up against Hamill.

 

Yeah, you have to think this is a loser leaves town type of deal. Hollett looked like shit against Hamill, a man in his late 30s coming off a long layoff. He did take it on fairly short notice I think but still. And Prado had the eyepoke fight with Davis and then got Anaconda choked to death by him in the rematch. It's a must win for both.

 

Yeah, this is a bit of a one-fight card for me. Nunes/Lentz will be a barnburner, Nunes was f'n crazy in his last fight against Bartimus, and Lentz has done everything humanly possible to shed the "boring" tag he received initially. Add a hot Brazilian crowd to that and there's something to look forward to.

 

To be fair to Lentz, he never really deserved that boring tag. The Winner fight was rotten but his fights with Evan Dunham, Tyson Griffin and the two Oliveira's: Charles and Rafaello, they were some excellent fights.

 

Nunes is yet to have a shit fight as well. His fight with Mike Brown is a bit of a forgotten gem and his fights with Bartimus, Siver and Florian were all really good also.

 

I'm really, really looking forward to this fight.

 

If you'd seen the show (why the fuck would you not have seen an all-Brazil TUF?!?!) you'd understand exactly why he's the co-main event. There's a brief highlight video of his time in the house, where he finished both his fights in impressive fashion before having to pull out of the finale due to injury. As Wand said, he's an intense dude and was favourite to take the show until he got injured.

 

I can't wait to see him fight, and seeing it happen in a co-main slot in Brazil will just make it all the more exciting. I hate CB Dolloway as well, so I'll enjoy seeing him get his head cracked (hopefully!).

 

Yeah, Sarafian has to prove he's legit on the big stage but from what we saw of him on TUF he looked a league above most of the guys there. And that says a lot because I felt the talent level was a fair bit higher on TUF Brazil than it's been on the US TUFs in recent years.

 

His flying knee KO on Sergio Moraes in the semis was a thing of beauty. Possibly the most perfect flying knee I've seen landed along with Aldo/Swanson and Garza/Paixaio.

 

And his grappling looked really good as well...

 

 

Watch him go and lose now after all the hyping up. Seriously though, I'm more excited about his UFC debut than any other TUFer in years.

 

I actually like Andrew Craig, forgot about his headkick until now though, sadly. Was that the one where Natal was acting super cocky before getting his ass handed to him, or am I thinking of a different fight?

 

Yeah that was the one. The gif is in the opening post. Natal was being a right boob in that fight and when Craig whacked him it was such a satisfying KO.

 

Craig seems a decent enough fighter and a nice guy. I don't see him making any real waves or getting past prelim level on the FX shows but I think he's overlooked mostly because his name sounds like that an early 90s WCW TV jobber and he looks like a member of failing rockband;

 

 

I think he'll come unstuck against Ronny Markes though.

 

Didn't watch TUF Brazil, didn't know that dude invented the anaconda choke. You shouldn't assume everyone has the same knowledge you do- although admittedly your description of this card makes you sound like a great salesman. I'll have to watch the disc of UFC 147 I have to educate myself a little- was Godofredo known as Pepey on the show?

 

Yeah Godofredo Castro's nickname is 'Pepey'. He was the one with the pink mohawky barnet on the show who pretty much everyone in the house didn't really like. You've probably forgotten him because his TUF Brazil final fight against Rony Jason was disappointingly pretty forgettable.

 

But his fight on TUF against Marcos Vinicius was fantastic, I thought it was the best of the season, so I'm hoping the Jason fight was a case of nerves and we'll see a better indication of his talent in this fight.

 

Vieira as we've said invented the Anaconda choke. He was credited with teaching Big Nog the move when the two trained together in the Brazilian Top Team days...

 

 

And Nog wound up pulling it off (first Anaconda in MMA history, I think) in the 2004 Pride GP...

 

Lombard said pretty much straight after his win over Palhares that, if Belfort were to get injured and had to pull out, that he'd step in and take the Bisping fight.

 

Yeah, you have to assume that if either Belfort or Bisping get injured in the next week or so, Lombard's phone will be a-ringing. Either way, Lombard vs Bisping or Lombard vs Belfort would be tremendous substitute fights. Being in Brazil though the card would probably take more of a hit if Belfort pulled out.

 

the fact that it's in Brazil means the UFC can do this kind of thing though, the fans go apeshit over there for this stuff. The TV ratings in Brazil are insane for MMA shows, it'll be a success regardless.

 

Exactly. People underestimate the impact TUF Brazil had over there. It might not have received much attention here or in America but they drew monster ratings in Brazil and it's really been a massive boost for the UFC there, hence why they're wasting no time doing a second season this year. If people think TUF 1 did great things for MMA in the US, TUF Brazil dwarved that over there.

 

Dana's been quoted as saying the fighters who competed on TUF Brazil are huge stars in Brazil now. Just due to the amount of people watching, these fuckers can't walk the street there anymore. And Dana was saying he even had to have a talk to them because the new found fame was all going to their heads and they were partying too much.

 

So yeah, on the surface it might seem strange or look like a weaker card names wise. But the fights will almost certainly deliver and a few of the Brazilians they have on there have potential to be breakout stars over there.

 

I'm with David on this one. It should be a belter. I didn't even touch on Tavares/Nurmagomedov. That could be a sleeper. It's a tough test for Khabib against one of the more underrated 155ers around in my opinion. Always liked Tavares.

[Daughters]

Nurmagomedov is European "Army Hand-to-Hand Fight" Champion! That will make an intriguing inclusion in the "Hobbies and interests" section of any of Khabib's post-fighting CVs. Also it's a championship title which massively benefits from being said in the Street Fighter II match announcer voice.

 

Seem to be a few Russian/Eastern European fighters coming through in the UFC. Picking Khabib Nurmagomedovs over Tavares, though will take something special to overtake my favourite current Russian - The German Suplexing Rustam Khabilov.

[wandshogun09]

Roger Hollett is out with injury. His replacement is Ildemar Alcantara whoever he is, so he'll fight Wagner Prado now on the FUEL prelims.

 

I've updated the opening post now with the full line-up. The lone Facebook fight is Trinaldo vs Keith. The rest airs on FX and FUEL.

[David]

Roger Hollett is out with injury. His replacement is Ildemar Alcantara whoever he is, so he'll fight Wagner Prado now on the FUEL prelims.

Alcantra is a Jungle Fight veteran, 22 fights, 17 wins, over half his wins by KO and only 2 decisions. He's won 7 on the bounce but has never fought outside Brazil from what I can see. Before anyone comes in with the quip that he still won't have fought outside Brazil after this event, I mean he hasn't fought any international quality competition (although he did lose to Fabio Maldonado six years ago)

[Egg Shen]

Nurmagomedov is European "Army Hand-to-Hand Fight" Champion! That will make an intriguing inclusion in the "Hobbies and interests" section of any of Khabib's post-fighting CVs. Also it's a championship title which massively benefits from being said in the Street Fighter II match announcer voice.

i love shit like that!

 

One of the best things about the old UFC's were the style fighters say they were taught in. The one that clearly stick out was John Matua (he of Tank Abbott beat-down fame), claiming that he was a master in the Hawaiin art of bone breaking. When i heard that i damn near shit my pants.

 

 

...then this happened:

 

[The Natural]

More Bisping barbs directed at Belfort:

 

"I

[wandshogun09]

So as usual, Bisping's been mouthing off about Belfort yet can't take it back...

 

Not a stranger to trash talk, Michael Bisping apparently draws the line when you call him a "hooligan" behind his back, then try to chalk it up as a joke like Vitor Belfort recently did during an interview.

 

From labeling Mark Munoz "fat," to describing Chris Weidman's performances "as exciting as watching paint dry," in addition to calling Alan Belcher and Tim Boetsch "simpletons" for laying eggs at UFC 155, the British brawler has never been at a loss for words when it comes to the smack-talking department.

 

Though he doesn't mind taking a few verbal jabs of his own in return, he does, however, take offense if you do it behind his back and not to his face.

 

That was apparently the case as

[Egg Shen]

the back of the head comment is a weird one to make, when guys say things like that it's almost like making an excuse before the fight happens, but i suppose playing a little mind games to Vitor is now being singled out at attacking the back of the head, it might leave that little element of doubt in his head during the fight.

[pryko]

the back of the head comment is a weird one to make, when guys say things like that it's almost like making an excuse before the fight happens, but i suppose playing a little mind games to Vitor is now being singled out at attacking the back of the head, it might leave that little element of doubt in his head during the fight.

Plus the referees for the event will hve the thought in the back of their mind for it, especially if they saw the Belfort vs Akiyama fight

[jimufctna24]

Bisping needs to take a step back and think before he says at times. He comes across as a cretin with these double standards. "I can call you a chicken heart and hint you are cheating, but call me a hooligan and bloody hell you have gone way too far"

 

It could be some mind-games, but I doubt it. This is the same man who took Jorge Rivera's childish videos to heart. Maybe he uses it for motivation, but still.

 

I still want him to win because he has wanted a title shot for years, and to be fair a lot shitter fighter who have done less and got a shot like Cote and Liates. It will be hard for him though he cannot afford one mistake early or its lights out, and with his tendency to get clipped at least a few times Belfort has every chance to do so.

 

That said, Bisping has more tools, he is a better wrestler and has more dimensions to his striking game. His stellar BJJ defense should fend of Belfort's subs as well. Bispings best bet is to take it deep with his great cardio, and overwelm Belfort with ground and pound for a stoppage or lop-sided points win.

[wandshogun09]

I'd be surprised if Bisping finished Belfort. Suppose he could stop him on cuts.

 

I'd give Bisping the cardio edge. Wrestling I'm not sure. Bisping's defensive wrestling is exceptional in my opinion, his offensive wrestling isn't bad. But he's not great or anything. Outwrestling Brian Stann isn't a huge boast. He can probably get takedowns on Belfort but that's not risk free either. We've seen the threat Vitor can offer off his back.

 

Bisping has great BJJ defence but he's not untappable. Wandy had him in trouble with that guillotine, Bisping was fortunate the round ended. And really, he hasn't fought many solid submission artists. Dan Miller and Akiyama stood with him. Mayhem gassed after about 3 minutes. Who else? Kang had a decent armbar attempt which Bisping escaped. That was a good win. Its not that likely but I wouldn't totally rule out a Belfort sub.

 

Striking I think Belfort wins. Bisping is very good but he makes more mistakes, lacks power and doesn't have the best chin.

 

I'll go Belfort KO, R2.

[David]

Striking I think Belfort wins. Bisping is very good but he makes more mistakes, lacks power and doesn't have the best chin.

He doesn't have the best chin? He's been knocked out once in his career, and that was against the same guy who put away Fedor by KO and has one of the heaviest right hands in the business.

 

I remember everyone saying the same thing when Bisping fought Stann. He wouldn't be able to take Stann's power, he couldn't outbox him for three frames without getting caught and suchlike. He went on to secure a unanimous decision.

 

He's taken the best that the likes of Wanderlei & Chris Leben could throw at him over three round fights and didn't get put away.

[wandshogun09]

Yeah, I'm not saying his chin is terrible or anything. He has only been KO'd once that's fair enough. But he gets rocked on a fairly regular basis.

 

Wandy rocked him in round 1 and dropped him and almost put him away in the 3rd. Bisping was saved by the bell in that one.

 

Akiyama wobbled him badly just seconds into their fight.

 

Kang floored him in their fight.

 

Jorge Rivera sent him flying with a right hand.

 

You can go all the way back to Josh fucking Haynes rocking him at the TUF 3 finale.

 

Fair enough, in the above examples (bar Wandy) he recovered and went on to win so it shows his heart. But they're all examples of him showing vulnerability and defo poor defence.

 

As an additional point, Dan Miller (although Bisping won comfortably) landed a lot on Bisping despite being almost a pure grappler at that point. Hamill outboxed him for spells too.

 

Bisping looked great against Stann and Leben, I'll give him his due. But the strategies he used in those fights will be tougher to execute on Belfort.

[David]

I guess I'm in the minority, but I think if Bisping gets past the first frame he'll go on to win comfortably. Belfort always comes out like a man on a mission, but he lacks the heart of a Chris Leben or a Brian Stann. If Bisping can survive early I think Belfort will slow considerably and lose a rather lopsided decision to Bisping.

[wandshogun09]

I don't think you are in the minority Dave. Bisping is leading the poll 10-4 at the moment

 

I agree that if Bisping gets through round 1 (and probably 2) his chances increase a lot. I defo think he holds an advantage in stamina. Bisping is probably one of the best conditioned fighters in MMA and Belfort's had issues with cardio.

 

The lack of heart thing with Belfort is overplayed. It was fair criticism early in his career but not now. He seems mentally tougher as he's got older in my opinion. His last 2 fights back that up.

 

He came back from some rough spots against Anthony Johnson, including his eye being badly messed up. That type of thing would have seen him unravel in his younger days. He came back to submit Rumble. Despite the weight disadvantage as well.

 

Then Jones. Belfort got battered for 4 rounds and kept trying. He was knackered, badly hurt by that body kick etc. He had every excuse to quit and no-one would blame him but he fought on.

 

I don't think the "lacks heart" stuff applies anymore.