General Fighting thread

[AdamM]

I disagree. thoroughly enjoyed the card.

J-Rock v War machine (what's with the nicknames these days) was a thrilling war
George (insert long greek name I haven't learned yet) was very impressive
Matt Arroya looks like a good prospect
Mac Danzig was a totally different class to Tommy Speer. Mac has fought at a high level for a while and is only a couple of fights away from a title shot at lightweight already. Huerta, Penn, Stevenson, Florian & Sherk should be worried
Huerta v Guida was a cracker too. Huerta looked to be heading for a three round beating and a unanamous decision but pulled a stunning submission victory out in the 3rd.

Lightweight (155lb) and welterweight (170lb) divisions are packed with talent, as is the light-heavyweight division. The heavyweight isn't too bad, with some big fights still to come. Just need to get the middleweights up to strength. Henderson is dropping down for a super fight with Silva next year, and Franklin is still a great fighter but that's about it.

UFC is looking stronger than ever.

[AdamM]

...and as if by magic, I come across the announcement that TUF7 will be Middleweight contenders.

Coaches will be Light heavyweight champ Quentin Jackson and TUF1 winner Forrest Griffin, who gets a title shot at the end of the season. Griffin beat Mauricio Rua recently, who was being talked about as the best Light heavyweight in the world and who was the last guy to beat Jackson. REALLY looking forward to that.

I also read that after 13 years and 535 bouts, Big John McCarthy has retired as an active referee. He's still involved in coaching other refs and is still working as an ambassador for UFC but the Hueta v Guida fight was his last.

[scotty2hatty]

I disagree. thoroughly enjoyed the card.

Sorry Adam, I didn't say I didn't enjoy it.  I said the final (as in Danzig v. Speer) was a disappointment as I expected Tommy to put up a better performance.

[scotty2hatty]

I also read that after 13 years and 535 bouts, Big John McCarthy has retired as an active referee.

About time Mazzagatti quit!

[AdamM]

I disagree. thoroughly enjoyed the card.

Sorry Adam, I didn't say I didn't enjoy it.  I said the final (as in Danzig v. Speer) was a disappointment as I expected Tommy to put up a better performance.

The final we were all hoping for was Mac v George.

Mazzagati is, by FAR the worst ref in the game. I Like Herb Dean, Yves Lavigne looks ok, Mario Yamazaki (best mixed race name EVER) is ok, but can sometime jump in too soom on the ground and pound.

McCarthy was a different class though

[scotty2hatty]

George looked impressive in his other fights but extremely poor in the semi.  Looked scared.

[byronkincaid]

how come top boxers get paid so much more than top UFC fighters? I heard UFC are getting higher PPV numbers.

also I read that Lorenzo Fertitta was on the Nevada State Athletic Commission and voted no to letting the UFC put shows on in Vegas, until he bought the company and then the commission changed it's mind!

[AdamM]

I think it's probably only the VERY top boxers that's the case for.
I would think the average money earned by a UFC fighter is higher than the average money earned by a boxer. The title holders in UFC can sometimes get 3 fights in a year too, plus the sponsorships / endorsements are pretty lucrative too.

They don't make a bad living but I think compared to boxing there's a flatter payout structure.

Before the Fertita brothers took hold of UFC it was in a mess. It needed seriously cleaning up. I sometimes watch my early UFC DVDs and it's a completely different game

[byronkincaid]

from wiki

The winners of the first three seasons of The Ultimate Fighter competition, and certain runner-ups depending on their performance in their competition finals, receive the touted "six-figure" contract to fight in the UFC. These contracts are specifically three-year contracts with a guaranteed first year. Each year consists of three fights, the first year's purse per fight consist of $12,000 guaranteed with a $12,000 win bonuses (a maximum of $24,000 per fight), the second year's purse per fight is $16,000 with a $16,000 win bonus (a maximum of $32,000 per fight) and the third year's purse per fight is at $22,000 with a $22,000 win bonus (a maximum of $44,000 per fight). A TUF winner who goes 9-0 can earn $300,000 total on the contract, but only $150,000 is guaranteed for all three years if 9 fights are fought.[2]

Those that have not won the competition can still fight in the UFC. Their contracts however are not the same as the six-figure deal above.

I read that when Keith Jardine fought Chuck Liddell, Chuck got $1 mill and Keith got $24K + another $24K for winning. I know someone who's cousin is an over the hill ex british boxing champ and he gets £3K a fight. They said on the telly that Ricky H got £7mill in his last fight.

I know that fighting is fun and you must get a huge buzz from fighting in the UFC but unless you're a top fighter that don't seem a lot for the amount of training you have to do and the risks that you take stepping into the cage.

UFC PPV revenue was over $200 mill in 2006

[AdamM]

Not sure 'Fun' is the right word.

I don't know about the money. I'd be guessing. The organisation's overheads must be huge though. it's not like $200m - fighter fees = profit

Because Dana White doesn't discuss the money, this sort of speculation is rife. There are plenty of bonuses, endorsements and opportunities for the fighters. You wouldn't expect undercard fighters to be making millions but the top guys are multi millionaires.

Also, is stepping in the cage that big a risk? there's been 1 death in cage fighting, and that was in an eastern european fight that was little more than a bare knuckle street fight. There's been no serious injury in the UFC. Obviously I'm not saying the training isn't intense. These guys train as hard, or harder than the very top boxers now.

[AdamM]

great news for Mike Bisping fans. He's finally decided to move down to Middleweight. He walks around at 211lbs, only 6lbs over fight weight. Most Light heavyweights walk around 230lbs+

As I mentioned in my earlier post, with the exception of Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson and arguably the best pound for pound fighter in the world (including Mayweather), Anderson Silva, the division is pretty weak and Bisping could do very well.

[byronkincaid]

Well, I'm not a doctor but I imagine that there's some risk to lying on the ground while someone repeatedly elbows you in the head.

Bisping/Silva would be like Hatton/Mayweather, we'd talk him up and convince ourselves he has a chance, but really...

[AdamM]

I don't think I'd put any money on Bisping against Silva. I think the gap between them is far greater than Hatton Mayweather

that clip wasn't 'repeatedly' anything. Cracking knockout. Obviously you get hurt short term, but it's martial arts. you expect it to hurt.

Boxing is far more dangerous than MMA. KOs in the cage are flash knockouts. Fighters are full conscious in a few minutes. Knockouts in boxing are usually concusion and can take soften take days to recover from.

Listen to retired MMA fighters talk. Randy couture for example is clear as a bell and has fought MMA 20+ years into his 40s. Boxers with a comparable record are often a slurring confused mess.

[byronkincaid]

that clip wasn't 'repeatedly' anything

err I didn't say it was.

[AdamM]

ah, sorry I see. the two sentences were unrelated. Second line relates to the Silva clip. First one doesn't. 

Yes you're right, repeatedly elbowing a downed opponent is pretty dangerous, which is why it's no longer allowed. a big part of Zuffa taking over was a thorough overhaul of the rules (such that there were). kicks and knees to the head of a downed opponent and elbow points to the head of down points have not been allowed for a while now.