MMA Discussion Thread XIV

DrPhil

The venue website should tell you who their ticket seller is, but 90% of them use ticketmaster. 10 UFC events I've attended, only one that was different was UFC 99 in Cologne, and that was so much easier!

djcla

not to mention the dubious win over hamill

repoman

Phil,

Quite how you make the mental leap to a place where the Sonnen loss was in any way decisive is beyond me.

Sonnen wasn't sure how it had gone until his hand was raised.  

And as for earning the big fights, that's fine in principle but the UFC's baffling ranking system has to give quantity some weight as everyone in the UFC should be a top fighter, otherwise what's the point?  I mean I know that not everyone is and there is some dead wood in the UFC but without a concrete, defined ranking system you can't make that call.  Every fight has to be worth some credit.

Also, your way of thinking doesn't work when you look at the prior records of Silva's recent opponents...

Okami - three wins against the likes of Nate Marquardt following a loss to Sonnen.
Belfort - five wins against blaverage opponents following a loss to Dan Henderson.
Sonnen - three decision wins after losing to Maia
Griffin - straight off a loss to Evans
Leites - I think you're getting my point by now.

Bisping's done as much as those guys in my opinion to get the shot.   That's not saying they didn't deserve their shots but in lieu of a proper ranking system, Bisping's certainly done enough.

DrPhil

I never said it was. It was a close call but certainly not a robbery when you break it down.


Leites - Had recently beaten Marquardt who was considered a high ranked MW at the time, but more importantly the UFC were looking for different kinds of opponents for Silva to prove a point. Leites was the highest ranked BJJ specialist at the time. Did he earn the shot, maybe not but there was a shortage of challengers and Leites brought something new to the picture.

Griffin - This was a LHW fight so irrelevant in terms of whether the shot was earned.

Sonnen - Okami was on a 3 fight streak and considered a top contender at the time. He not only beat him but then beat Marquardt in a title eliminator.

Belfort - "average" opponents including Rich Franklin. Belfort was also highly ranked in SF which helped him up the ladder, and he also had the same angle as Leites in that he was allegedly the elite striker that Silva had never fought before.

Okami - again, Marquardt was the stepping stone, the final hurdle if you like.


The common factor in all of those (apart from Leites) is that a point was reached where the fighter had to win a particular fight (twice it was Nate) where the reward would be a title shot. Bisping has had that point twice, and both times he lost.

And Marquardt would beat him btw!

Boris360

I still think Soares and Silva will find a way to derail the Sonnen fight.

BigStu1972

I disagree, I think Bisping would win that one

BigStu1972

You're still not convinced this fight will happen are you.

DrPhil

Marquardt's only weakness has been against wrestlers, (losing to Silva doesn't count as a weakness). Okami and Sonnen decisioned him because he couldn't stop the takedowns. Silva "Silva'd" him and Leites won a split decision due to 2 deducted points, one of which was a mistake. Apart from that he hadn't lost in nearly 10 years. He is still a top MW IMO.

Bisping has excellent wrestling but he rarely uses it to attack. I don't think he could finish Nate, nor hold him down for a decision like Okami and Sonnen. On the feet I give Nate the edge in technique and a big advantage in power.

It would actually be a great fight. With Nate back in SF now, it may happen down the road.

BigStu1972

And if Bisping won that fight would you finally agree that Bisping deserved that title shot

repoman

Thinking about it, who exactly are the top contenders in that division?

It's a little like the LHW division where there is one top guy and a bunch of others who beat each other.