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Smacktalk
From: 411mania
Smacktalk 04.27.07: UFC 70 Fallout
Posted by Damian Sarcuni on 04.27.2007
Those involved in the sport of mixed martial arts are some of the most opinionated people on the planet. Almost no two people view a fighter or an event in the same way, and most fans are more than happy to voice their opinions on any given topic as often and as loudly as possible.
I'm Damian Sarcuni, and my editor is Jose Chavez. When we created the column Fight Story: The Written History of MMA here at 411mania.com, our goal was to accurately record the events of MMA and tell the epic stories behind each fight, while avoiding our personal opinions as best we could.
Then something happened. Zuffa Inc., the owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, purchased their main competitor of Pride Fighting Championships, giving them a near-monopoly on the mixed martial arts market. In protest, I ended the Fight Story column. As much as we loved the sport of MMA, it seemed the history books were now owned by the UFC, and we had no interest in telling their stories for them.
Welcome to Smacktalk.
The idea is simple. Each week, Jose and I will go over some of the major events of discussion in the MMA world, and collect your input through emails and various message board comments from around the net. We will offer our input as well, and hopefully help our readers to get their fingers on the pulse of the MMA scene. Our format is straightforward: "They say" is the topic or news item chosen, "You say" are your comments and feedback, and "We say" is our semi-expert opinions on each issue.
As I abhor long introductions, let me first thank our fellow 411 writers for having us back and doing a great job of bringing the MMA world to this site. Also, let me thank you for reading and please enjoy the column.
They say
During the Crocop vs. Gonzaga fight at UFC 70, Herb Dean stood up both fighters in a controversial move that many thought came far too soon. It's possible that Dean was given instructions to keep the fight where Crocop could win.
You say
It was pretty odd seeing the standup when GG was very much staying active from the guard. It seems pretty obvious to me that they were trying to give Mirko an advantage. - Lebowski, Sherdog.net
The refs ARE NOT EMPLOYED BY THE UFC!!!!! I'm sure any overt discussion like that did not take place. He might've been told to "keep the fighters moving" and to "stand them back up when you feel the need", at the very most. - Dice Gottafried, Sherdog.net
We say
Jose: I thought the standup by referee Herb Dean was kind of odd as well. Gonzaga had done a bit of damage there and didn't just lay on him. I'd have to watch the fight again to see if he warned them or anything. I wouldn't say it was the right call myself, but I wasn't right there in the action. In the end it really didn't matter, and it's being blown way out of proportion.
Damian: I'm completely against popular opinion on this one. Not only do I feel that Herb Dean's decision to stand up the fight was unbiased, but I also feel he made the right call. Yes Gonzaga was active on the ground and had Crocop in a position he couldn't get out of, but he wasn't finishing the fight. Gonzaga had free reign in that position and didn't use it as best he could. You can't penalize his points for inactivity in this situation, but you can take away his advantage. The idea that Crocop got an unfair advantage is absurd since he didn't land one blow prior to the call. Still, another interesting note is that the NSAC wasn't necessarily in charge of the fights that night, since the event took place in Britain. Marc Ratner, who is under the employ of the UFC, was in charge, but I still feel Herb Dean's call was unbiased.
They say
There is a lot of speculation about both Crocop and Gonzaga's future after their spectacular fight. Gonzaga now has a shot at Randy Couture and the world championship belt, but Crocop could very well be facing retirement.
You say
Couture will pull out a decision on Gonzaga. Randy obviously can't go hold for hold on the ground but he can certainly put up a good enough defense to stay away from the submission. Randy will take Gonzaga down. Same fight as the one with Sylvia. - Vote4Pedro, Sherdog.net
I'm sure [Crocop will] fix whatever needs fixing and be back in the ring. - eldiablito, Sherdog.net
We say
Damian: I can understand Crocop questioning his future in the fight game, as he's suffered some major aches and pains over the past months only to suffer a horrible loss. However, the demand for him to continue fighting is simply too high for him to stop now. If Couture couldn't pull off retirement, there's no way Crocop will be able to sit idly by either. As far as Gonzaga, his bout with Couture will be certainly interesting. Yet Randy is far more cerebral than Crocop, and I expect he'll be looking to keep the big up and comer neutralized before he gets off a killer offense.
Jose: Crocop won't retire; he makes far too much money. Gonzaga realistically has a very good shot at Couture, but I think Couture's experience may give him a slight edge here. Gonzaga is a different opponent than Sylvia. "Napao" isn't afraid to take risks, and won't play it safe. He will aggressively attack Couture like Sylvia should have done. Gabriel is going to come in to finish, and we've seen that he's more than capable of doing so.
They say
One of the most dominant Pride FC champions ever, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, will soon be competing in the UFC. He is expected to dominate the heavyweight competition, but with so many upset victories in recent fights, there is no telling what could happen.
You say
I think he'll do fine. He's already got one of the best chins in all of MMA, He's a ground fighter primarily, he won't stand there and get KTFO'd like Crocop, GSP or Wanderlei; standing there and getting caught is what's behind a lot of these upsets. He's ultra experienced, Pride and Rings champ + multidimensional.
I can't guarantee he'll be champ, but I see him being able to take most of the HW in UFC. The only possible wild cards being Vera and Gonzaga. Gonzaga obviously because he's already a pretty good grappler and Vera because we have yet to see how good really is. - Tbonetron, Sherdog.net
We say
Jose: Nog should be very successful. I see him being able to take any fighter on their roster at the moment. A lot of exciting possible match ups will be seen here. He will certainly earn that title shot in a hurry, I would wager. I won't say that he would clean out the division easily, but his will to win is unmatched. I wouldn't like his chances of surviving the head kick that Mirko took from "Napao" though.
Damian: Napao, shmapao. The octagon favors the ground game, and the only person I see giving Nog any trouble is Couture. Remember that Randy trains with Dan Henderson who has been a major thorn in Rodrigo's side every time they have fought. Expect Nog to earn a fast title shot, and don't be surprised if he wins the big one.
They say
The upcoming fight between Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Chuck "the Iceman" Liddell is shaping up to be one of the most thrilling ever, and no one can say who the will walk out with the UFC light heavyweight title.
You say
Rampage on the other hand is just a beast. Win, lose or draw, he comes out and brings it every fight. That is something that I don't think Chuck is used to. The closest person who did that against Chuck was Couture the first two times they fought. Even Ortiz has been standoffish in their fights. Now I know Couture got KTFO in 2 and 3, but he did bring it. And he also did slip. Now I accept that Rampage could very well suffer the same fate as Couture (who I feel is a better analogy to the point your trying to make than AA/TS is). But I feel that we then need to take into account that Rampage is younger and quicker than one "Captain America". In the end, Jackson is gonna do exactly what my sig. quotes him as doing. He's gonna "whoop Chuck's ass." And you can quote me on the quote unquote - Talented Mr Radley, 411mania.com forums
We say
Jose: I don't agree that Rampage brings it in every fight. Before being knocked out by Wanderlei Silva in '04, it seemed like there was nothing Quinton couldn't do. But he has not been the same fighter. He's had trouble beating c and b level competition lately. He seemed really hesitant in his fight with Eastman. I just don't see the same Quinton as before. The old Quinton beat Chuck up pretty badly and he certainly has all the talent in the world, but I don't know if he's capable of bringing out his A game yet. If he doesn't, Chuck will win by KO...because Liddell will certainly bring his A game in, don't have any illusions about that.
Damian: I agree with Jose completely on this. It seems that since their last meeting, Jackson has only gotten worse whereas Liddell has only gotten better. Don't let the Nyquil jokes and big time promotion fool you. Chuck Liddell hasn't lost his hunger at all since winning the belt, whereas Jackson's will to battle has been questionable at times. There's no question that Rampage is a great fighter and in truth we won't know what's in store until the two face off, but from the information we have right now you have to give the advantage to Liddell.
And that's all folks. As always, stay tuned to 411 for all the latest in MMA coverage. Keep sending us your thoughts and comments on these issues, and be careful when you blurt out your opinions. We'll be watching, and you never know when your Smacktalk might show up here. Thanks for reading!
Last edited by 3ft.Wookie; 04-27-2007 at 12:52 PM.
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