UFC Fight Night: Bader vs Nogueira 2 - Nov 19

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

Another thing that photo does is demonstrate how undersized Cormier was at heavyweight. I don't see it mentioned a whole lot, probably because he was so successful at the weight, but he was really tiny for the division. The only time I recall DC being the bigger man in the Octagon is against Dan Henderson, who fought at 185 most of the time anyway.

[lambyUK]

Rockhold has that physique where it makes it easier for him to cut weight. He's very tall but also slim as well. 

 

I would actually love to see Rockhold move up to 205 once DC is finished and face Jones. Stylistically I believe Rockhold has all the tools to beat Jones or least give him a massive challenge.

 

[wandshogun09]

Man, Jones vs Rockhold would be a right clash of the cunts. That'd be the first and last time I'd ever root for Rockhold, I think. Just because he's the lesser of two shitstains.

 

Oh and absolutely fuck Ryan Bader raw with a cactus. Nog got my hopes up early on when he had Bader reeling with those punches but the fight quickly reverted to looking exactly like I expected. Guess we're going to have to start thinking about Bader in the title picture. He won't get a shot for a while yet though. I'd chuck him at Gustafsson. Gus should stop his little run. What will probably happen now though is Bader vs Shogun. And I just know that's going to be depressing to watch

 

On a brighter note, Almeida vs Morales was tremendous as far as one sided beatdowns go. I think the ref was a bit late jumping in at the end and Morales took a few digs he shouldn't have, but overall it was the perfect way to bounce back for Almeida. He looked great. Any concerns people may have had that he might be a bit gunshy after getting KO'd by Garbrandt were unfounded. He looked like a man possessed.

 

Other bits and bobs...

 

• Gadelha looked alright. Although I expected her to beat Casey more impressively really. A win is a win.

 

• Jotko beating Thales Leites was a bit of a surprise. Biggest win of his career by far and he's got a good record of 19-1. The Polish are doing good in the UFC at the moment. Leites seemed off though to me. He just didn't look at the races for whatever reason.

 

• A big fat LOL at Kamaru Usman saying he's the best grappler in his division and then calling out Demian Motherfucking Maia! Could Maia have looked any less concerned either, when the camera cut to him? Didn't even bother looking up from Candy Crush to acknowledge Usman's stupidity. Just sat there looking like a Don in his suit with some hot girl (I'm assuming his wife) next to him laughing at Usman's idiocy.

 

• That Antigulov dude had a nice debut. Another Russian fighter to keep an eye on. They're slowly invading the roster.

 

• Manny Gamburyan's retirement feels like it's not going to stick. He didn't sound that sure to me whether he's in or out, which means he should probably be out but you know what fighters are like. He's timed his retirement all wrong really though. I felt sorry for him as he announced it to the sound of crickets. The Brazilians weren't going to cheer him as he'd just fought a Brazilian and his retirement comes after more relevant and popular fighters like Dan Henderson and Miesha Tate hung 'em up. Still, I quite like Manny. He was a bit of a Napoleon case on TUF 5 but on the whole I didn't mind him. He was definitely usually the less twatty Armenian in the room when next to the likes of Edmond the Useless and Karo 'Does He Know I Am?' Parisyan.

 

• Munhoz vs Scoggins from the Fight Pass bit was good, glad they had time to air that on FS1. Thought Scoggins was cruising but that fucking guillotine came from nowhere. Brilliant finish for Munhoz.

 

Good show. If you switch off before the main event. That put a real downer on things for me.

[WeeAl]

It's horrific to think about but if Cormier beats Rumble, and Bader signs a contract extension, then I think he gets the next title shot. He won't get it if Rumble wins though. I like your idea wand, feed him to Gusty, but he's out indefinitely with his back as far as I remember hearing.

[lambyUK]

It's shows the state of the 205llb division after hearing Brian Stann talk about this main event with the winner potentially getting a title shot. Imagine if Nog somehow pulled off the win? Fucking Little Nog getting a title shot in 2017. Just awful.

 

Jones has fucked things up royally. We could have had Jones Vs Cormier, Cormier vs Rumble, Rumble vs Jones, Gus vs DC 2, Gus vs Jones 2 etc. 

[wandshogun09]

Little Nog's wife...

 

 

 

How in the fuck did he manage that? He's got a face like a kicked bollock. Is he that loaded? Or he's packing an elephants trunk down there.

[jimufctna24]

Big Nog had plenty of admirers in Japan during his Pride run. I don't get it myself. I remember watching TUF 8 with my old man. "What happened to his face" was one of his quotes if I recall correctly. 

 

And aye, 205lbs is the drizzling shits of MMA. 

[wandshogun09]

Yeah there was always that Japanese woman, some model, at ringside during Big Nog's fights in Pride, wasn't there? I remember the camera cutting to her in tears of joy after one of Nog's big wins (probably the Cro Cop fight in 2003).

[jimufctna24]

That's the one. She was also there for the Fedor fights. 

[David]

It's horrific to think about but if Cormier beats Rumble, and Bader signs a contract extension, then I think he gets the next title shot. He won't get it if Rumble wins though. I like your idea wand, feed him to Gusty, but he's out indefinitely with his back as far as I remember hearing.

 

At this stage I honestly think that Bader's game is coming on really well. I wouldn't be as sure about the likes of Gusty or even Rumble or DC beating him as I would have been a year or two ago. He seems to be really dialled in these days.

[wandshogun09]

That's what's worrying me though Dave. I've never said Bader wasn't a capable fighter. I just shudder at the thought of him headlining PPVs and wearing the belt.

[jimufctna24]

In a year's time we could have Bader as Light Heavyweight Champion, and Ferguson as Lightweight Champion.

 

Enjoy D.C and McGregor while you can chaps. 

[Dead Mike]

I've nowhere near the problem with Bader that most on here have.  He's not the most charismatic person on their books but he's not an arsehole, seems like quite a nice bloke. Nothing about his fights turn me off either, I think he's alright.

[wandshogun09]

To be fair, I think it's mostly me. I think most on here are just indifferent to him but I just can't be doing with him and like to have a moan about him. Whenever I do the event opening posts and I get to the Bader fight, I just can't muster up any enthusiasm so it comes out negative and I guess that starts off the narrative then on an anti-Bader footing.

 

He doesn't even seem like an arsehole or anything, you're right. And he's not as boring bell to bell as say a Jake Shields or Corey Anderson. But unlike those guys, he's good enough to where he's always floating just under that title mix. And I don't like it. I can't put my finger on what it is about him that bugs me but I genuinely, hand on heart can't remember one fight of his I've looked forward to going in, or really one I've enjoyed watching.

[Shane O' Mac Version 2]

For me, I trace my Bader dislike back to the first Lil Nog fight, at UFC 119. The first time I saw Bader was at UFC 110, where he scored a vicious 3rd round KO after a pretty entertaining fight. Then they matched him up with Nog and Bader won a boring 30-27 using a far more grappling heavy approach. People look back at UFC 119 as a terrible, boring show and cite Mir vs. Cro Cop, but the Bader fight was equally boring. Then he went on to lose his next two by guillotine choke, first to Jon Jones (no shame in that) and Tito Ortiz (who had lost his last 10 or so fights).

 

So, in following Bader's career, he was first exciting, then boring in victory, choked when he got to the top level, then lost to someone he had no business losing to. Then he became a decision machine while losing to top guys. Fun fact- this year is the first year Bader has finished two fights in a row since 2008. I don't hate Bader, but I certainly brace myself for a grinding fight when I see his name on the card.

 

About the actual Fight Night- took me a while to catch up with MMA this week- I enjoyed the show with the exception of the main event battering. A little surprised FOTN didn't get awarded- I mean, there were no classics, but Munhoz vs Scoggins was an entertaining scrap and comeback. Pleased to see Thomas Almeida get back in the win column too.