UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans (4/21)

SabasRevenge! · Post #1 » by **SabasRevenge!** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:12 pm

Announced bouts:

Champ Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans (for light-heavyweight title)
Ben Rothwell vs. Brendan Schaub
Mark Bocek vs. Matt Wiman
Michael McDonald vs. Miguel Torres
Chris Clements vs. Keith Wisniewski
Maximo Blanco vs. Marcus Brimage
Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin
Rory MacDonald vs. Che Mills
Travis Browne vs. Chad Griggs
Matt Brown vs. Stephen Thompson
John Makdessi vs. Anthony Njokuani
Mac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero

Myth111 · Post #2 » by **Myth111** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:15 pm

I still can't believe they gave Rory such a no-name opponent. I don't even care if he loses, he still should have seen a step up in competition. Not down.

REDDzone · Post #3 » by **REDDzone** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:15 pm

When?

REDDzone · Post #4 » by **REDDzone** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:16 pm

Myth111 wrote:I still can't believe they gave Rory such a no-name opponent. I don't even care if he loses. He should have seen a step up in competition. Not down.

UFC really does have inexplicable match making at times. The dude started out with freakin Carlos Condit and has moved down in competition every single fight.

Myth111 · Post #5 » by **Myth111** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:16 pm

April 21st.

SabasRevenge! · Post #6 » by **SabasRevenge!** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:47 pm

Must be a complete card with today's Thompson vs. Brown announcement.

This card looks pretty good, though a few of the fights could be pretty one-sided.

Jones has opened up as a huge favorite over Evans. I believe the first number I heard was 6:1 and the odds on my betting site are currently at 5:1.

In particular, it will be very telling to see where Michael McDonald is in the bantamweight hierarchy. That's a huge fight for both he and Torres.

McDonald/Mills seems like quite a mismatch. He moved from a loss to Condit (which he would have won had the fight not been stopped :07 before the end of the 3rd round) and Nate Diaz to Che Mills. IIRC there were some injury issues that led to this match up. I see Mills throwing but getting KO'd early.

I like Schaub to rebound from his Big Nog loss against Rothwell. He'll have had quite a while off and great athlete + Jackson's MMA is usually a pretty good combination. I imagine Schaub will come out looking better than ever.

I think Yagin as little more than a fight to get Hominick back into the fold.

I like Browne as a more well-rounded fighter than Griggs, but both guys have nice power. I just don't see Griggs catching Browne. I think Browne finishes this one and gets a big name for his next fight.

I love that Makdessi v. Njokuani fight. Those of us who love seeing guys go out and light it up should appreciate this one. Almost a must-win for both of those guys, but I don't see the UFC cutting either as they're both quite exciting.

I was thrilled when they announced Brown/Thompson. I hope we see Brown's Muay Thai vs. Thompson's sick Karate/Kickboxing. Brown's got to be the better grappler (haven't seen Thompson's skills...), but I'll be rooting for Thompson.

Danzig has had so many TOUGH fights I'd like to see him win this one. I think there's a chance Efrain gets cut after this fight.

I like Wiman against Bocek... I think he's done better against tougher guys. I think this is a unanimous decision for Wiman unless Bocek can figure out a way to sub him.

Brimage/Blanco is a tough one because I've only seen each guy fight once. Seems to me that Blanco is a more well rounded fighter. If I had to pick, I'd say this will be a very exciting decision with both guys throwing a lot of strikes.

I don't recall ever seeing Clements or Wisniewski fight. I bet it's an early facebook fight with the loser getting the axe.

SabasRevenge! · Post #7 » by **SabasRevenge!** » Sat Feb 11, 2012 9:51 pm

Myth111 wrote:I still can't believe they gave Rory such a no-name opponent. I don't even care if he loses, he still should have seen a step up in competition. Not down.

I totally agree. IMO Rory is just a notch below Ellenberger/Hendricks and it's only because of the fights he's been given. I don't care if he's young, he's looked dominant in every fight he's had except for a close loss to Condit. In fact, he was leading on the cards before he got finished late in the 3rd. I'd lay money on Rory being a champ before he's 25.

Gold Chain · Post #8 » by **Gold Chain** » Mon Feb 13, 2012 10:05 pm

Blackzillians are paying Overeem to train there. They don't hold his management contract. They budgeted 500K for Overeem+team to be there
@FrontRowBrian

Man, that's some serious cheddar for the Reem.

I was reading a discussion elsewhere, and they were wondering what kind of benefits Rashad would get from sparring this guy in preperation for Bones?

Size? Height? Seems a strange choice.

NZB2323 · Post #9 » by **NZB2323** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 1:38 am

Gold Chain wrote:
Blackzillians are paying Overeem to train there. They don't hold his management contract. They budgeted 500K for Overeem+team to be there
@FrontRowBrian

Man, that's some serious cheddar for the Reem.

I was reading a discussion elsewhere, and they were wondering what kind of benefits Rashad would get from sparring this guy in preperation for Bones?

Size? Height? Seems a strange choice.

Well, what fighter would you pick to imitate Jones in sparing? There's no one else like him. But at least Rashad gets to spar with someone who is a better striker than him.

cowboyronnie · Post #10 » by **cowboyronnie** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 2:27 am

Rashad already has Tyrone Spong there. He's a more skilled kickboxer then Overeem a thousand times over, just doesn't have the 265 pounds. But he can better simulate Jones's athleticism.

duppyy · Post #11 » by **duppyy** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:29 am

Damn thats a lot of money to pay just to have him spar there.

Post #12 » by **lilfishi22** » Fri Mar 2, 2012 4:33 am

$500,000 and it doesn't even help him against Jones? Seems like a bit of a waste of money.

Post #13 » by **spykelee** » Fri Mar 2, 2012 4:39 am

I am good friends with a guy who recently did a long interview with Firas Zahabi. Apperently Firas was saying, "off the record" that when Jones was first starting out he was living out of his car while training up in Montreal because the guy just had no money management. Apparently as he started piling up his wins and some cash he would just blow it all by partying and drinking all the time. Firas thinks that if Jones hasn't, or doesn't change his habits, and take the sport seriously, that he's only going to be around for a few years and then fall off the map.

This test against Rashad is going to be a serious test imo. Rashad is a tough guy who takes the sport very seriously. I can recall him saying before the Davis fight that even if he wasn't getting paid, he'd still be fighting. And I wouldn't be surprised if Jones rockstyle lifestyle would be something that would really burn at Rashad. This is going to be a very interesting fight.

High 5 · Post #14 » by **High 5** » Fri Mar 2, 2012 5:48 am

Rashad better pray Jones steps into the cage with a serious hangover.

cowboyronnie · Post #15 » by **cowboyronnie** » Fri Mar 2, 2012 6:18 am

spykelee wrote:I am good friends with a guy who recently did a long interview with Firas Zahabi. Apperently Firas was saying, "off the record" that when Jones was first starting out he was living out of his car while training up in Montreal because the guy just had no money management. Apparently as he started piling up his wins and some cash he would just blow it all by partying and drinking all the time. Firas thinks that if Jones hasn't, or doesn't change his habits, and take the sport seriously, that he's only going to be around for a few years and then fall off the map.

This test against Rashad is going to be a serious test imo. Rashad is a tough guy who takes the sport very seriously. I can recall him saying before the Davis fight that even if he wasn't getting paid, he'd still be fighting. And I wouldn't be surprised if Jones rockstyle lifestyle would be something that would really burn at Rashad. This is going to be a very interesting fight.

??? that's strange to hear. he seems really clean-cut. didnt he narc on someone for smoking pot?

nonetheless, I wouldnt draw any conclusion about his longevity from it. it's not a sign of a lifelong problem that someone in their early 20s parties.

Post #16 » by **spykelee** » Fri Mar 2, 2012 6:29 am

I'm not terribly surprised to hear that a guy in his young 20's, and a world champion would be a partier. I just wonder to what level that is at, and on the flip side, what his commitment to the sport really is. We haven't really seen Bones face any sort of adversity at all. Be interesting to see what his gameplan is against a guy who knows him inside and out. And how he responds to hopefully facing a little bit of adversity.

Gold Chain · Post #17 » by **Gold Chain** » Fri Mar 2, 2012 3:03 pm

Yeah, I don't blame him. I think Jones is the best fighter on the planet right now, but when he was coming up, he was a rising star in Montreal. You'd have to crazy not to bang chicks all night.
That's why Rashad is holding on back on that "you fake" thing.
Honestly, I'd way rather hear about Jones taking a break from training one night and banging a lingerie model, than hear about a fictional character in the sky who apparently has slid the celestial balance in your favour and will assist you in destroying his less-loved, ahem, human.

My best friend lived there in the late 90's and early 2000s. There was this kid who everyone was talking about, but had no idea what he really did. (Pre-Pride) This was at a local bar there and he was always there, and the gals liked him some big thing. His name was Georges. (Although I know he does not drink all too much any more.)

I want Rashad to win SO bad, but this is a tall task for anyone, in any weight division, in any league in the world.

REDDzone · Post #18 » by **REDDzone** » Fri Mar 2, 2012 3:15 pm

Gold Chain wrote:Honestly, I'd way rather hear about Jones taking a break from training one night and banging a lingerie model, than hear about a fictional character in the sky who apparently has slid the celestial balance in your favour and will assist you in destroying his less-loved, ahem, human..

*Jones smashes 'Shad...

"I'd like to first and foremost give all credit to...that random lingerie model last night, what a wildcat..."

Gold Chain · Post #19 » by **Gold Chain** » Fri Mar 2, 2012 3:53 pm

REDDzone wrote:
Gold Chain wrote:Honestly, I'd way rather hear about Jones taking a break from training one night and banging a lingerie model, than hear about a fictional character in the sky who apparently has slid the celestial balance in your favour and will assist you in destroying his less-loved, ahem, human..

*Jones smashes 'Shad...

"I'd like to first and foremost give all credit to...that random lingerie model last night, what a wildcat..."

LOL!

SDM · Post #20 » by **SDM** » Fri Mar 2, 2012 6:19 pm

Gold Chain wrote:Yeah, I don't blame him. I think Jones is the best fighter on the planet right now, but when he was coming up, he was a rising star in Montreal. You'd have to crazy not to bang chicks all night.

No kidding. I'm convinced that Montreal can turn a gay man straight.