***spoilers*** UFC News and Discussion Thread

[Cactus Drags]

I tink my main problem with Silva's antics were him mocking Maia for not throwing, and then him doing exactly the same, if not worse, later on. That and it was the first show in a new market, that's not the kind of main event you want to be selling to people. You can say he has every fight to win fights how he chooses or that he has every right to avoid getting caught, but if he was that much of a glassjaw that he has to clown around to avoid being hit, he shouldn't be champion. And it's not really in the spirit of the sport either, as someone alluded to earlier.

[Guest Mr. Murray Head]

Hasn't Penn mentioned himself that he wants to move up to Welterweight?

Yeah, but that was because he didn't think he could be challenged at 155. If he moves up now, he'll look like he's scared of Edgar.

[Rich]

Hasn't Penn mentioned himself that he wants to move up to Welterweight?

Yeah, but that was because he didn't think he could be challenged at 155. If he moves up now, he'll look like he's scared of Edgar.

Not really, it looks like he moved up a weight division, I think that there are a couple of fights left for BJ at 155 if he wants to go for the rematch for the belt, fights vs Maynard and Gomi interest me. To be honest i hope he doesn't move up, because BJ may struggle against the larger welterweights like Rumble and I don't want to see BJ vs GSP III just yet. I had no complaints about the decision, I watched the event with some none fans and they thought Edgar was the better fighter on the day, and they got bored with Silva's antics too, it was hardly an exciting fight that'll draw new fans in. I think that was Dana's problem, it was their first showing to their new partners in Abu Dhabi, and Silva made a bit of a mockery out of it.

[Guest Mr. Murray Head]

Chuck Liddell vs. Rich Franklin headlines UFC 115 in Vancouver, confirming that Rich replaces Tito at some point on TUF.

Other main card fights: Pat Barry vs. Cro Cop, Kampwho vs. Paulo Thiago, Carlos Condit vs. Rory MacDonald, Evan Dunham vs. Tyson Griffin. Should be some fun fights, but is it ever lacking in star power.

[Powerhart]

WHAT!? So the rumors were actually true, huh? Can't say I won't be looking forward to this show but Rich Franklin isn't that big of a challenge, his last few fights he's been destroyed, but excited he coaches TUF alongside Chuck. Looking forward to Dunham-Griffin as I was amazed by Dunham's victory over Efrain Escudero back at UFN 20.

What's gonna happen now to Randy Couture? And Tito, I'm guessing this is a fight with Dana White again, could he be heading to Strikeforce or just holding out?

Edited April 13, 2010 by Powerhart

[Guest Mr. Murray Head]

WHAT!? So the rumors were actually true, huh? Can't say I won't be looking forward to this show but Rich Franklin isn't that big of a challenge, his last few fights he's been destroyed, but excited he coaches TUF alongside Chuck. Looking forward to Dunham-Griffin as I was amazed by Dunham's victory over Efrain Escudero back at UFN 20.

What's gonna happen now to Randy Couture? And Tito, I'm guessing this is a fight with Dana White again, could he be heading to Strikeforce or just holding out?

And you think Tito's a challenge? All four of those guys are long past their best before-dates, you can match them up in any combination and I wouldn't care.

[LL!]

Ah shit, I can't believe I agree with MPH. I'd much rather see Chuck vs Franklin when it comes to the terms of an exciting fight than Chuck vs Tito, as Tito is nowhere near the level he was once at (and even then he wasn't that great.) Whereas, the other three can put up some exciting bouts given the right opponents. The only reason I wanted to see Chuck vs Tito in the first place was to see Tito get pummeled ten ways from Sunday.

[Powerhart]

WHAT!? So the rumors were actually true, huh? Can't say I won't be looking forward to this show but Rich Franklin isn't that big of a challenge, his last few fights he's been destroyed, but excited he coaches TUF alongside Chuck. Looking forward to Dunham-Griffin as I was amazed by Dunham's victory over Efrain Escudero back at UFN 20.

What's gonna happen now to Randy Couture? And Tito, I'm guessing this is a fight with Dana White again, could he be heading to Strikeforce or just holding out?

And you think Tito's a challenge? All four of those guys are long past their best before-dates, you can match them up in any combination and I wouldn't care.

I never said Tito would. But they could put someone else against Chuck instead of Rich Franklin, someone new or just none of those guys.

[apsham]

Yeah, I mean the greatest boxing champion in history never showboated or mocked his opponents. Oh wait...

Yeah, but this isn't boxing - and Dana said it exactly right in the press conference, this isn't a comedy show and it isn't a one man show. If Silva would've gone in there and finished the fight in the first, second, third round it would've been all honky-dory but after that he made it clear that he wasn't interested in the fight, was fucking with his opponent and yet Maia still came at him and fought with heart - something that Anderson entirely ignored. Then for Silva to come up with some lame excuse like "he was saying mean sounding things about be, so I was disrespecting him" (seriously, Silva was offended that Maia used his Spider nickname in a prefight taped segment.. that was just basically Damien stating he was going to try and control Anderson's limbs) - is entirely bullshit.

At least he finished his fights.

Silva has finished every fight bar two decision victories since coming to the UFC.

Exactly what I was just checking. He's won 11 fights in UFC, 9 by KO/TKO/Submission.

The crowd can shit on the fight all it wants. Dana can shit on Silva all he wants. The fact is you can't force him to finish the fight. If he doesn't want to take the risk of getting caught with something when he goes in and prefers to see out the five rounds and win on points, that's up to him. If he wants to showboat while he's doing it to intimidate his opponent, then apparently there's nothing in the rules to stop him. It's a sport, not entertainment - if you want exciting fights, that's what WWE is for.

"If you want exciting fights, that's what WWE is for."

...are you fucking kidding me? That is likely the worst excuse that I have heard yet - the top guys in the sport go out there to have exciting fights. Every last one of them will state that. If Silva is only interested in having a long reign, and ducking away from opponents to keep his win record going that's fine. But Dana's not going to want to showcase him when the fans don't want to see the shit that he pulled the other night.

[Hajjhowe]

I know it was disrespectful and rude and whatever, but isn't the point above all else to win? Silva beat his opponent and it's not his fault that Maia couldn't beat him. There aren't any rules against taunting and it seems he was still striking his opponent.

I don't know, obviously it hurts buy rates and stuff but if MMA wants to be considered a sport they need to realize that winning (Like in every sport) is above all else. That's what Silva did, no matter what manner he chose to do it in.

[Rich]

I actually thought the point was to fight... since its the Ultimate Fighting Championship, not the Ultimate Showboating Championship

[IzzyX]

Well here's Stormfront's response to Silva's antics:

"That damn negro! Fucking makin a sprt look retarded. I can't wait until GSP beats his black ass *beer smiley*"

Edited April 13, 2010 by IzzyX

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Yeah, I mean the greatest boxing champion in history never showboated or mocked his opponents. Oh wait...

Yeah, but this isn't boxing - and Dana said it exactly right in the press conference, this isn't a comedy show and it isn't a one man show. If Silva would've gone in there and finished the fight in the first, second, third round it would've been all honky-dory but after that he made it clear that he wasn't interested in the fight, was fucking with his opponent and yet Maia still came at him and fought with heart - something that Anderson entirely ignored. Then for Silva to come up with some lame excuse like "he was saying mean sounding things about be, so I was disrespecting him" (seriously, Silva was offended that Maia used his Spider nickname in a prefight taped segment.. that was just basically Damien stating he was going to try and control Anderson's limbs) - is entirely bullshit.

At least he finished his fights.

Silva has finished every fight bar two decision victories since coming to the UFC.

Exactly what I was just checking. He's won 11 fights in UFC, 9 by KO/TKO/Submission.

The crowd can shit on the fight all it wants. Dana can shit on Silva all he wants. The fact is you can't force him to finish the fight. If he doesn't want to take the risk of getting caught with something when he goes in and prefers to see out the five rounds and win on points, that's up to him. If he wants to showboat while he's doing it to intimidate his opponent, then apparently there's nothing in the rules to stop him. It's a sport, not entertainment - if you want exciting fights, that's what WWE is for.

"If you want exciting fights, that's what WWE is for."

...are you fucking kidding me? That is likely the worst excuse that I have heard yet - the top guys in the sport go out there to have exciting fights. Every last one of them will state that. If Silva is only interested in having a long reign, and ducking away from opponents to keep his win record going that's fine. But Dana's not going to want to showcase him when the fans don't want to see the shit that he pulled the other night.

You keep talking like he's a shit fighter and ducks every opponent, it's fucking bollocks. He's done this TWICE, it's absolutley pathetic to even claim he's 'ducking' his opponents. Actually, I don't even see how you can possibly duck your opponent when you're inside a fucking cage with them.

[EddieG]

I don't think anybody's saying he's a shit fighter, or that he ducks fighters.

But if you're the champion, and you're the headliner and THE man to impress a new crowd, you can't do this shit.

The Arabians, especially the oil tycoon's in Abu Dhabi are very picky people who you don't want to be on the wrong side of, they don't look at Anderson Silva, they will put the blame on Dana White.

Edited April 13, 2010 by Eddie 'AW' G

[SeanDMan]

If you're going to stereotype and generalize about a nationality you might want to actually correctly name them in your posts.

[Walker]

I am really not getting this reaction. It was disrespectful, it got incredibly tedious in the last two rounds, he's a bit of a cock for doing it, blah blah blah ... this is a sport, he is a sportsman, his job requirement is to fight in a cage and obey the rules ("nearly" breaking them doesn't count) and if he wants to do it the way he did, fine, that is his prerogative. I didn't particularly like his fight either, but I'm dealing with it like: "Okay, that was shit. I probably won't watch another Anderson Silva fight."

I also don't really take issue with Dana White either. His job requirement is to book fights that people want to see and draw money from them. If Anderson Silva isn't drawing money because no one likes the stuff he does, fine, either book him down the card or simply don't renew his contract when the time comes.

[apsham]

Well that's just being the devil's advocate. Yes, his job is to win fights (really guys, I didn't know that) but the position that he is in as the world's best P4P fighter in the regards of many.. putting Anderson Silva's name on a card means something - namely that people want to see the best P4P fighter in the world showcase his abilities. And by the way, it is up in the air whether or not he violated the comission rule that states an athlete can be penalized for not performing to the best of their ability.

[Benjamin]

Kenny Florian has been hospitalized with a staph infection, apparently. Sucks, I'm a big KenFlo fan. I'm expecting UFC to go the Maynard / Edgar II fight now, with maybe Penn taking on Gomi?

[Guest Mr. Murray Head]

WHAT!? So the rumors were actually true, huh? Can't say I won't be looking forward to this show but Rich Franklin isn't that big of a challenge, his last few fights he's been destroyed, but excited he coaches TUF alongside Chuck. Looking forward to Dunham-Griffin as I was amazed by Dunham's victory over Efrain Escudero back at UFN 20.

What's gonna happen now to Randy Couture? And Tito, I'm guessing this is a fight with Dana White again, could he be heading to Strikeforce or just holding out?

And you think Tito's a challenge? All four of those guys are long past their best before-dates, you can match them up in any combination and I wouldn't care.

I never said Tito would. But they could put someone else against Chuck instead of Rich Franklin, someone new or just none of those guys.

They put him against anybody else at 205 with even a bit of draw value, he doesn't win. I wouldn't even be risking Liddell against Stephan Bonnar at this point.

[Rich]

WHAT!? So the rumors were actually true, huh? Can't say I won't be looking forward to this show but Rich Franklin isn't that big of a challenge, his last few fights he's been destroyed, but excited he coaches TUF alongside Chuck. Looking forward to Dunham-Griffin as I was amazed by Dunham's victory over Efrain Escudero back at UFN 20.

What's gonna happen now to Randy Couture? And Tito, I'm guessing this is a fight with Dana White again, could he be heading to Strikeforce or just holding out?

And you think Tito's a challenge? All four of those guys are long past their best before-dates, you can match them up in any combination and I wouldn't care.

I never said Tito would. But they could put someone else against Chuck instead of Rich Franklin, someone new or just none of those guys.

They put him against anybody else at 205 with even a bit of draw value, he doesn't win. I wouldn't even be risking Liddell against Stephan Bonnar at this point.

I think you're being a bit quick here dude, plenty of hyperbole. Chuck has lost 4 of his last 5 fights to a who's who of 205ers, and all guys were elite at the time of their fights at the very least. Rampage, Evans, Jardine and Shogun, he also beat Wanderlei during this time. I would say write Chuck off at your peril, the guy will still be able to punch a guy on the button and knock him out.