11/19 - UFC FN 99 + 100, Bellator 165

[Bernman]

MVP is not going to get a title shot or earn fans by doing that. It almost cost him the win, although incredibly bizarre that a guy can win 2 rds by backing up, throwing hardly anything, and landing none of it. MVP at least landed a few to score and was the aggressor by superficial standards. It's like one judge just wanted to punish MVP for point fighting. Then MVP was seemingly up 2 rds, why the heck wouldn't he engage with a guy who has poor finishing ability? He was in his eyes just seeing out the win. I think some have trouble contextualizing performances so that one will hurt his stock majorly in the eyes of some, like the Burrell fight, but that's not the way it works in reality. Just hurts his entertainment value. But a high majority of the time if someone engages him he'll counter and probably k him the f o. If they don't he'll dance and pick at them for a boring, but controlling decision. Beforehand I was already of the mind that they should have Lima fight Rory next, and give MVP a #1 contender match better than Gonzalez. Now I'm really of that mind. Just a matter of who it is. It would pretty much have to be Koreshkov or a new signee, i.e.: Larkin. They wouldn't be afraid of him.

[GoRapstheoriginal]

I'll take Bader in Round 3.

[Jasen777]

A weird judge for the co-main and main in Bellator, but at least the right guys won.

[REDDzone]

Also, couldn't help but laugh at Usman calling out Maia after his win and Maia gave no f*cks and didn't even acknowledge it. LOL ... That was awesome.

How embarrassing. Maia just turned down a fight with GSP, you think he's going to fight that dude I've never heard of?

[REDDzone]

Sick of seeing the Nogs getting beaten down all the time. Please retire. Bader is the best of the rest (besides Glover/Jones/Cormier/Rumble).

McCall another fightday cancellation. That dude needs to give up already. Three in a row is just insanity, gotta be a record.

The entire Mousasi/Hall fight I'm screaming for Mousasi to just take him down. He finally does and ends the fight within 10 seconds of it hitting the ground. I'll never understand why fighters waste so much time and take so much risk standing with white belts (relatively speaking). Its just mind boggling to me.

[REDDzone]

Also, props to Hall for taking that fight. He really did have nothing to gain, in the same situation I probably would have ducked it so I could keep my carer fluke win from ever being avenged tbh. Had Mousasi lost I think I would have called an end to my hope that he could ever be MW champion. There is still at least some hope though I think.

Uriah Hall is going to have to get back at it quick if he is going to fulfill his destiny as the next Anderson Silva .

[REDDzone]

That Michael Page fight may have been the worst mma fight I've ever seen. If not the worst, then tied for the worst.

Man I was rooting so hard for Benson. Chandler has just rubbed me the wrong way for awhile now, despite the fact that I used to be a fan. Such blatant stalling in the 5th rd, Benson just doesn't have that finishing ability though.

[Bernman]

Usman was really impressive on the UFC show. His pace never slowed, he was all over Alves, putting together combos on him along the fence, dropping a level dumping him, jumping to side control, pounding him on the ground, and going for the subs that were there although his technique in that regard was somewhat green. Sort of reminded me of the presumably clean, ww version of RDA. Cool guy too, called out Maia, as silly as that was, I think the dude has marketability. He should sell himself as American because I don't think Nigerians will come out in droves to arenas and ppv's. Moved to the U.S. when he was 5.

That Michael Page fight may have been the worst mma fight I've ever seen. If not the worst, then tied for the worst.

Man I was rooting so hard for Benson. Chandler has just rubbed me the wrong way for awhile now, despite the fact that I used to be a fan. Such blatant stalling in the 5th rd, Benson just doesn't have that finishing ability though.

It was the stand up version of lay and pray by MVP. I know you particularly hate those, being a ground guy.

Can hardly blame Chandler for stalling the way he fights. He went hard for the finish in round 1, and was absolutely clobbering Bendo, throwing caution to the wind. Should have gotten him a 10-8. I'm surprised he even had as much energy as he did afterward to win what should have been 2-3 more rds. My final score was 48-46 Chandler, and some had it 49-46 or 49-45. What is it about Bendo that he generates so much appreciation for what he does from fans and official judges to skew perspective on effectiveness? And why does it go in the polar opposite direction for Chandler? Bendo is one of the luckiest guys when it comes to official judging, and Chandler one of the unluckiest. Again, the media scored that 7-0-1 for Chandler, and he nearly loses, with Bendo winning?!?!

We didn't see much ground work from Piccolotti, a guy I thought you'd really like in the past, but what did you think of him against your Minnesota boy if you saw that fight? He showed a lot of wrinkles in the stand-up we didn't know he had, kept range well, flicked out front kicks, stepped to angles for combos then got out, faked high then came up with knees, etc. Then he either gassed a little from the frenetic style, or saw out the win a little himself. In conjunction with what we know about his ground game, that's a very impressive performance. He reminds me of T-City. I think he also has some star-power. The crowd is always behind him.

[REDDzone]

Yea I'm just salty because I like Benson. I didn't see that other fight yet, just watched the main and co-main so i could stop worrying about being spoiled, will probably check out some more stuff now.

[Bernman]

Chandler weighed in at 180 already last night. This new weigh-in protocol sucks. Remember how they were talking about going in the other direction for same day weigh-ins? That proved not feasible because of how dehydrated some guys would be who pushed it, but instead they just compounded the benefit of weight cutting. You have an entire extra day to build back up. Chandler may have been 185-190 in the cage. There were obviously guys like Gray the Bully who pushed it already, and Bendo was reportedly like 180 in his previous lw fights, but this just makes it easier. Why did they change it? It's not even as good for turnout and they're giving guys less time to make weight putting fights in greater jeopardy if anything.

BTW, always thought of Chandler as a smallish lw, who if anything should have considered moving down a class if he transferred to the UFC. I guess not. Chandler should be 17-1 now with 2 victories over Eddie, 1 over Bendo, Brooks, Held, Hawn, 2 over Patricky, and 2 over Rickels.

[REDDzone]

I thought Chandler was huge in the first Alvarez fight, then I thought he went through a stage where he was a blown up FW. Last night he looked huge again though, I thought more muscular than he had looked. This is all just my perception, that said he gassed in both the Alvarez fight as well as last night and not a lot of times in between so maybe there's something to it.

[REDDzone]

It is a little weird that Chandler is looking like mini Hercules again now that he moved from Cali to South Florida.

[Jasen777]

McCall another fightday cancellation. That dude needs to give up already. Three in a row is just insanity, gotta be a record.

Didn't notice, that's crazy.

The entire Mousasi/Hall fight I'm screaming for Mousasi to just take him down. He finally does and ends the fight within 10 seconds of it hitting the ground. I'll never understand why fighters waste so much time and take so much risk standing with white belts (relatively speaking). Its just mind boggling to me.

That's what I like about guys like Maia and Askren. That'd also be a great fight or a worst fight ever contender if they matched up.

[Bernman]

That's what I like about guys like Maia and Askren. That'd also be a great fight or a worst fight ever contender if they matched up.

It would be an admirable thing with Askren if he didn't just then often pretend to do something just to keep position so it wouldn't get stood up. It's become less egregious, but he still does it when facing more resistance.

I like the superior ground guys who set up their td's efficiently and then work efficiently on the ground, then aren't afraid if the fight gets stood up again, they'll handle themselves there, and get it back down soon enough. MMA'ists.

[CPT]

How was there a 48-46 scorecard for Bendo? Good fight though.

I think I'll go back to just watching the highlights when MVP fights. Jesus.

[cowboyronnie]

The level of ability and fitness level of Mousasi and Hall both is astounding. Such good strikers, holy lord. The upper backs on those dudes. Post-USADA? Those dudes are freaks. Nevermind Hall's striking ability - he is a nightmare, watching all that twitching and speed and timing. I will never ever miss a fight, that guy is a beast.

As Redd pointed out, taking that fight was weird. Is courageous the word? I mean, why do that at all. It does nothing to re-match a non-contender/title fight that you won by single strike. Either you prove nothing or you lose a previous win. So, uhh?

[cowboyronnie]

Bellator had some great fights. Piccolotti, wow! He looked fantastic. Really comfortable in the pocket, no hesitation being in there with those haymakers being swung back. Exciting.

Chandler-Benson was awesome. I realize Scott Coker is a Bay/SD guy, but never go back to SD. They booed Chandler after that? The man is an animal. He pushed through a level of discomfort in those final five minutes that not one of those boo-birds could handle for 3 seconds. Really compelling.

Benson should retire and go work for the PeaceCorps or whatever. He isn't improving, he's getting tooled-up over & over, and he's surely made bank since signing with Bellator. Go out with some semblance of your wits.

A judge gave Benson three rounds!?!? LOL.

[cowboyronnie]

I thought Chandler was huge in the first Alvarez fight, then I thought he went through a stage where he was a blown up FW. Last night he looked huge again though, I thought more muscular than he had looked. This is all just my perception, that said he gassed in both the Alvarez fight as well as last night and not a lot of times in between so maybe there's something to it.

He was bloated as Hell. Big full stomach, no abs. Something didn't go right upon refueling.

[cowboyronnie]

re: Lil Nog. **** that/this company. That was sickening. The sloppiest, least talented card ever. Almeida's opponent? WTF was that? That guy has no business doing smokers.

[NO-KG-AI]

I really do love watching the "good" Uriah Hall. Wish he could put it all together more often.


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