The Natural is coming out of retirement and moving back up to HW to fight Tim Sylvia at UFC 68. If he loses, it's probably expected. If he wins, what does that say about the UFC's HW division when the LHW champ demolished and embarrassed the new HW champ... twice? Doesn't matter much because the person holding the belt after the fight is only keeping it warm for Mirko.
HBO is going to televise three UFC events this year. It's no secret that HBO's own head-in-the-sand boxing honk, Jim Lampley, has an ignorant disdain for MMA. I wonder what he'll say after HBO's MMA events pull in three or four times the ratings that his precious HBO boxing events do. His spin will be something along the lines of "Look at how far society has fallen when a human cockfighting event can pull in five times the ratings of a world championship boxing event..." Sorry, Lamps. Basically, boxing is corrupt and boring and has a target demographic of people nearing retirement age. MMA has all the momentum and the overwhelming support of the main target audience of 18-45 year old males. Move on and embrace it or get steamrolled by it, Lamps.
UFC on HBO & Randy Couture to fight Tim Sylvia
Moderator: Jesus H Christ
Re: UFC on HBO & Randy Couture to fight Tim Sylvia
Rack Fu wrote:It's no secret that HBO's own head-in-the-sand boxing honk, Jim Lampley, has an ignorant disdain for MMA.
It reminds him too much of his home-life.
Hey, I just happened to be flipping channels, when I saw a show about MMA on MSNBC, of all places. Now, I won't claim to be up on any new TV shows, much less ones on the cable channels in the 40-somethings. Am I like totally behind the times, or was that a one-time deal, or am I a dork for not knowing about it(we'll add that to a loooong list of reasons, if so). Hell, I can't even remember what it's called.
But, it was about a local guy here(and one of his buddies looked awfully familiar, like maybe we'd been in the same gym or run with the same crowd, but I couldn't put a finger on it). Another local character by the name of Randy Couture, has really built up a local/regional MMA "league." And my old training partner(who is a freaking GOD of mattwork...just a monster...gave Rickson, Vitor, and some other big names a run for their money in workouts...nit that I can carry his jock or anything), is back in the loop a bit, and probably has them begging him to take free tix, just to have him there...might have to hit him up for passes. Never been to a live event(besides tough-guy, behind-closed-doors shit)...sounds like a blast.
But anyway....anybody see that show? I only caught a few minutes. Is it cool, or dumb?
I got 99 problems but the 'vid ain't one
This was a full documentary on MSNBC. Last night. I dunno...might have been 11PM my time?
And still can't remember what it was called for the life of me. The parts I saw, it wasn't too shabby. You guys probably would have dug it...I know you're a sucker for that stuff, Fu.
Heck, I was enjoying it just fine, even before I saw that it was about a local guy...or he trained locally(I think he was from Wilsonville), and flew off somewhere for a fight. It wasn't a local show, though.
I didn't imagine it...really.
But I am relieved you didn't come in and say "Yeah, that was a rerun from 2 years ago, moron. Congrats on being the last guy on the planet to see it."
And still can't remember what it was called for the life of me. The parts I saw, it wasn't too shabby. You guys probably would have dug it...I know you're a sucker for that stuff, Fu.
Heck, I was enjoying it just fine, even before I saw that it was about a local guy...or he trained locally(I think he was from Wilsonville), and flew off somewhere for a fight. It wasn't a local show, though.
I didn't imagine it...really.
But I am relieved you didn't come in and say "Yeah, that was a rerun from 2 years ago, moron. Congrats on being the last guy on the planet to see it."
I got 99 problems but the 'vid ain't one
-
KC Scott
I've been thinking since back when UFC started Showtime or HBO would be a perfect match for MMA.
Surprised it's taken this long for them to seize on the popularity. During the World Series I read (don't know if it's accurate) that the Matt Hughes fight outdrew the Game 5 in the 18-30 demographic.
I guess HBO is shelling some major jack if Dana White is going to cable from PPV.
BTW - Pretty sure Couture will beat Sylvia handily.
That should set up a CroCop - Couture fight down the road
Surprised it's taken this long for them to seize on the popularity. During the World Series I read (don't know if it's accurate) that the Matt Hughes fight outdrew the Game 5 in the 18-30 demographic.
I guess HBO is shelling some major jack if Dana White is going to cable from PPV.
BTW - Pretty sure Couture will beat Sylvia handily.
That should set up a CroCop - Couture fight down the road
Easier said than done.DiT wrote:Couture's takedown's are much better than Jeff Monson's.
as long as he doesn't try to stand and trade with Sylvia I see Randy pounding the shit out of him on the ground.
2nd round TKO
Randy is a much more well rounded MMA fighter than Monson but saying his takedowns are much better than Monson's is a tad ignorant. Jeff Monson's grappling resume speaks for itself. Randy is an elite wrestler with decent submissions, excellent GnP and slightly above average striking. Jeff Monson is a submission wrestling wizard and ADCC world champ. His submission wrestling is on another level and his takedowns are every bit as good, if not better, than Couture's.
Randy might be more successful because he gives up much less height and reach to Sylvia. That said, Sylvia is very good at keeping his opponents at bay with his reach and jab. He was once an aggressive fighter who now fights to not lose and is content in boxing and outpointing his opponents. Boring but effective. He's still clueless when it comes to anything resembling skill on the ground but he has become very, very good at stuffing takedowns and, if taken down, getting up rather quickly (reminds me of Liddell and Cro Cop in that regard). His Achilles Heel (as I see it now) is dealing with quick and/or aggresive strikers who can get in on him and cut off angles. Cro Cop, Brandon Vera and Arlovski are the type of fighters that would/have/will cause huge problems for Sylvia. Yes, he beat Arlovski twice but one was on a fluke punch while getting his ass kicked and the other was a match of two fighters more or less afraid of engaging each other.
At this stage of the game, Randy has a suspect chin. Liddell KO'd him twice and Sylvia, while not possessing Liddell's atomic right hand, does hit extremely hard and has very long arms. You can't say that age hasn't impacted him. I just don't see a 44 year old, KO prone Randy Couture who's on the wrong side of his career beating a 6'8" striker who happens to be the current UFC champ. I think he'll get KO'd while trying to get in on Sylvia.
I'd like to be wrong but I just can't see a way that he can beat Tim.
Last edited by Rack Fu on Sat Jan 13, 2007 2:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
Just read this from one of the Sherdog writers. Agree with him 100%.
If Liddell can knockout Couture with one shot, just imagine what the hulking Sylvia, who assuredly hits harder than Liddell, would do to Couture.
The last time Couture was a heavyweight, “The Natural” lost to Josh Barnett (Pictures) via technical knockout and then Ricco Rodriguez (Pictures) stopped him. Love him or hate him, Tim Sylvia (Pictures) is a terrific fighter who is one of the hardest men to take down. If Couture can’t score a takedown, he stands absolutely no chance of beating Sylvia, and it’ll wind up being an embarrassing loss for Couture.
Another factor is that Couture is now 43, and showed signs of aging in his second fight with Liddell as well as his victorious battle with Mike Van Arsdale (Pictures). Sylvia, even though he’s won two abysmally dull decisions lately, is clearly one of the best heavyweights on the planet.
The way I see this fight unfolding is simple: Sylvia lands a right hand; Couture goes to sleep; everybody makes money; everybody is happy — except Couture, of course, who’d have a splitting headache.
Dana White should do the right thing and nix any idea of a comeback for Couture. Unless Couture is dead broke and robbing drug stores for Sudafed and Jose Cuervo, there is no point in him returning. Couture even said on the Sherdog Radio Network that he’d come back if Tito Ortiz (Pictures) beat Chuck, meaning that he can’t beat Liddell. If he couldn’t beat Liddell in his last two tries, does he think he stands a chance at beating the much larger and harder hitting Tim Sylvia (Pictures)?
But then again, this is just my opinion and speculation on an event that has yet to become a reality. Maybe it’s just a reported rumor that has gotten out of control. Maybe it is marketing propaganda on Zuffa’s part to see if the old man can still spark interest. Apparently he can — just not from me.
Randy Couture (Pictures) is an all-time great and I stand firm in my belief that he shouldn’t fight again in legitimate mixed martial arts against a premiere fighter like Tim Sylvia (Pictures).
I didn't say Randy was better at submissions but I do think when he wants to take the fight to the mat he'll be able to do it better than Monson.
I do know that if he stands out there and even attempts to trade with Sylvia he will get clobbered.
Sylvia hits like a tank and if Couture stands at arms length he WILL get knocked out.
I just don't think he's that stupid.
I do know that if he stands out there and even attempts to trade with Sylvia he will get clobbered.
Sylvia hits like a tank and if Couture stands at arms length he WILL get knocked out.
I just don't think he's that stupid.
Obviously he isn't that stupid. Like I said, easier said than done. For example, everyone knows how to beat Chuck Liddell yet no one is able to do it. If you can't get the guy down, you're going to have to fight THEIR fight. I don't see Randy being able to get Big Tim on the ground to do anything. Which means it'll be a striking match in which Randy has zero chance of winning.DiT wrote: I just don't think he's that stupid.
I'd like to see him do it because Randy is The Man but I just don't give him much of a chance. Probably for the best that he loses anyway. Cro Cop could literally kill Randy and I really don't want to see him go out like that. If he can't take a Liddell punch, he sure as hell isn't going to survive one of Mirko's left high kicks.
On the other hand, I can't wait to watch Mirko leg kick Sylvia like he was chopping down a tree and then kicking his head off. If he can kick Aleksander Emelianenko's noggin (he's 6'6"), he can surely kick Tim in the head.