I want to #$%& Chuck (MMA)

[jonatas]

So Dana White is finally giving us a real fight. I might even pay 40 dollars to see this one.

Here's the Wanderlei's call out (unintentionally funny) and then the staredown:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgBPUI7vPcs&search=wanderlei silva chuck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlp4qMfxQIc&search=wanderlei silva chuck

This fight is going to be really interesting for a couple of reasons. First of all the great quality of fighters. It's genuinely hard to call this one, because both these guys are so good. Plus you have the dynamic of a UFC legend going up against a Pride legend. It would be embarassing for the UFC if Wanderlei beats Chuck in the octagon. So there's a lot on the line.

Who do you favor to win?

 

[Elta]

finnaly a thread for me (I was in muay thai for 6 years)
I am takin Wanderlei because I think pride just has better quality fighters.

 

[Fifty]

This is indeed a very highly anticipated fight! I will talk below about what are (in my opinion) far better fights coming up soon, but first my opinions on this one:

I'm going with Silva. Some factors to consider:

-Silva took Mirko Filipovic to a draw. Mirko Filipovic is a MUCH better standup fighter than Chuck Liddell.

-Silva, having faced some of the best fighters in MMA history, has never been KOed or TKOed (except the early fluke against Belfort). Chuck Liddell is a counterpuncher who relies on his KO ability, not his ability to win tough decisions

-If the fight were to go to a decision, Silva will almost definitely win. He is far more aggressive of a fighter, and his ground game is superior. Chuck cannot win a decision simply because he is a counterpuncher.

-Silva's standup game is more complete. The most vicious knees in MMA, and he is an excellent puncher also. the UFC octagon is pretty small, and Silva is very aggressive, so you know much of the action will takeplace in a standing clinch and not in distanced striking. Silva is the best clinchfighter in history.

-Were the fight to hit the ground, silva is far superior

-silva is bigger, stronger, and has faced far far far tougher competition

All those add up to my vote for Silva to win. That said, I think there is a slim chance that Chuck's famous counterpunching ability could nail Silva, but I just don't think it will happen. The only advantage Chuck has is that the fight will be in UFC rules and not Pride rules, which takes away a few of Silva's best weapons (headkicks/knees/stomps while the opponent's knees are touching the ground)






IMO, however, there is a far more awesome announcement made recently, the Pride OWGP semifinal matchups!!!!!!

1. Mirko Filipovic vs. Wanderlei Silva
2. Josh Barnett vs. Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera

The winners of these face eachother for the OWGP championship belt and a shot to fight Fedor Emelianenko for the Heavyweight belt!!!!!!!! This is crazy, amazing, cool, and unbelievable! If you are an MMA fan you MUST be salivating at the prospect of these fights!!!! Silva, Barnett, Noguiera, Filipovic, and Fedor are literally the five best fighters on earth right now, and they are all in this lineup!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[woodelf]

A great time to be an MMA fan.

 

[jonatas]

It's kind of crazy, because you know Silva is not going to back off on Chuck and you'd have to be completely insane to do that in the first place Maybe his strength will be a weakness? It's dangerous to do. Chuck's K.O. power is strong, he's at the top of his game and I think it's going to be wild.

It'll be a great fight and one that has reputations on the line, not just of great fighters but of organizations. It's pretty cool UFC actually put themselves on the line this time, it's a gutsy move.

 

[Fifty]

After having faced strikers like Mark Hunt and Mirko Filipovic, I'm not suprised that Silva is not afraid of Liddell. If anything, Liddell should be afraid of Silva. To the "new school" UFC fans, Liddell is god. They think he is the best fighter in the world. However, to people who know MMA, many believe that pound for pound Silva is the best fighter to ever live, and Silva has DEFINITELY faced much better competition than Liddell.

 

[Thorgalaeg]

Not an expert in the matter but I have seen almost all important da Silva combats and the guy seems incredibly tough, really a rock. I was impresed during his combat against Mirko. I think that almost any other fighter would have gone to the floor afer that brutal kick in his ribs.

 

[Fifty]

Not an expert in the matter but I have seen almost all important da Silva combats and the guy seems incredibly tough, really a rock. I was impresed during his combat against Mirko. I think that almost any other fighter would have gone to the floor afer that brutal kick in his ribs.

Ahh yes that kick was painful just to watch! I can't imagine having to actually feel it!


Here are some highlight vids if anybody wants to see these guys in action:

Silva

Liddell

 

[Elta]

Ahh yes that kick was painful just to watch! I can't imagine having to actually feel it!


Here are some highlight vids if anybody wants to see these guys in action:

Silva

Liddell

Wanderlei all the way, he respects muay thai and at the end of a match he shows his sportsmenship *respect*

 

[Fifty]

he respects muay thai

Of course he respects muay thai! He is the best muay thai fighter in MMA today!!! His clinch fighting in particular is exceptional.

Chuck's only chance = counterpunch when silva comes in for a flurry

 

[Thorgalaeg]

A question: Is there any weight categories in MMA? I ask it because i have seen many combats of Bob Sapp fighting with guys about half his weight (and Sapp was sistematically defeated in almost all of them BTW ). Or for instance look at this one: http://www.dailymotion.com/tag/Zuluzinho/video/52235
BTW where is Fedor?

 

[Elta]

Of course he respects muay thai! He is the best muay thai fighter in MMA today!!! His clinch fighting in particular is exceptional.

Chuck's only chance = counterpunch when silva comes in for a flurry

I mean it in the way that he did what looks like a Ram Muay move ...most of the new guys don't take it seriously like that.

 

[jonatas]

They have weight classes in UFC now although in the beginning they did have size mismatches. I am relative newb to this (only been watching a couple years) so I don't know if they do that in Pride. Somebody said on here that the Japanese enjoy matching up giants with little guys Don't know if they still do it. Fedor would definitely be a heavyweight and a large one at that.

 

[Elta]

A question: Is there any weight categories in MMA? I ask it because i have seen many combats of Bob Sapp fighting with guys about half his weight (and Sapp was sistematically defeated in almost all of them BTW ). Or for instance look at this one: http://www.dailymotion.com/tag/Zuluzinho/video/52235
BTW where is Fedor?

UFC
* Lightweight: (146 - 155 lb)
* Welterweight: (156 - 170 lb)
* Middleweight: (171 - 185 lb)
* Light Heavyweight: (186 - 205 lb)
* Heavyweight: (206 - 265 lb)
Super heavy 265+



Pride:
* Heavyweight (more than or equal to 93 kg / 205 lb)
* Middleweight (less than 93 kg / 205 lb)
* Welterweight (less than 83 kg / 183 lb)
* Lightweight (less than 73 kg / 160 lb)


In K-1 there is no weight class I belive.

 

[Fifty]

BTW where is Fedor?

Dana White (president of UFC) would be insane to have Fedor come fight UFC's heavyweights. The difference in skill between UFC and Pride is most apparent in the heavyweight division, where any of the top ten pride heavyweights would DEMOLISH Tim Sylvia. Right now UFC is marketing Liddell/Franklin/Hughes/Sylvia and the like to be the best in the world. They would only lose fans to pride once they learned that not only does pride have better fighters, but they also have much more exciting matches because 1.) there are less rules and 2.) the fighters lose money if they don't push action so there is none of the "lay and pray" style that we see too often in UFC.

In fact, the only other Pride/UFC crossover match I would really like to see would be Dan Henderson vs. Rich Franklin.

 

[Thorgalaeg]

Thanks for the answers. I find this MMA world rather confusing. As i understand it, MMA is only a style of fighting and there are several MMA tournaments all with his own rules. So Fedor fights in the Pride tournament only while for instance da Silva fights in both. Is it correct?

BTW I think that Fedor is the best fighter in the world. I have never seem him even near to be defeated excepting a TKO because an eyebrow cut. Well, and a combat with a huge japanesse (i think) fighter where he was near to KO due to a brutal punch, but the recovered quickly and finally won.

 

[jonatas]

Right now UFC is marketing Liddell/Franklin/Hughes/Sylvia and the like to be the best in the world.

Well I don't see Sylvia as being the best in the world. You're right about UFC heavyweights being pretty lame. I think UFC has good fighters at the other levels though like Liddell, Franklin, Hughes, Ortiz, maybe guys like B.J Penn in the future.

 

[Elta]

I just read this

Elbows to the head/face are allowed in UFC but not in PRIDE.

...I guess I'll start lobbying

 

[jonatas]

Thanks for the answers. I find this MMA world rather confusing. As i understand it, MMA is only a style of fighting and there are several MMA tournaments all with his own rules. So Fedor fights in the Pride tournament only while for instance da Silva fights in both. Is it correct?

MMA is all styles, but it basically boils down to the styles most effective for the type of fighting you're doing: stand up (kick boxing), clinch (muay thai), ground and pound (wrestling), submission (brazilian jiu-jitsu) plus others like vale tudo and sambo... Silva fought a couple fights in the UFC a long time ago but became a legend in Pride. Now I think he's signed a contract for 3 fights in the UFC from what I heard.

 

[Elta]

Granted there is clinchs (neck wrestling) in muay thai but it is "kick boxing" ...let me elaborate
American kick boxing (sport): is boxing + you may kick but only with your feet and with feet pads on and you must go for 5 kicks a round minimum. No kicks below the waist.

while in muay thai you may go for any sort of attack while standing up knees,elbows,fist,legs (shins or feet) and you can hit any part of the body (except the groin)

no one in MMA fights uses "regular kick boxing"