November 15th. Signed deal. Can you fucking believe it? Wow.
Is the Heavyweight class so light that Brock gets a “title” shot? Who’s next? Kimbo? 
What shit. Now, GSP vs BJ Penn should be something.
Tell me monster, what’s your take on the Diaz brothers?
To be completely honest - I don’t know much about them.
I do think it’s pretty substantial that two brothers are in the international MMA circuit with awesome jitz.
I’ll have to do my homework.
I’m more of a Welterweight/ Light Heavyweight/ Heavyweight fan.
Well… That should be interesting.
So who would you put your money on, big guy? Tough call, isn’t it?
marboulette
Definitely Couture. He was a much better amateur wrestler and he’s a much more experienced fighter, against lots of top competitors. The only thing Lesnar has going for him is he’s a few inches taller and 40 steroid-induced pounds heavier, but for a fighter of Couture’s weight and caliber that 40 pounds is nothing. He’ll knock him out in the first round.
I’d prefer to see Couture against one of the other top wrestlers in the UFC: Kerr, Randleman or Coleman, all vastly superior to dumbo Lesnar. Or, of course, against top ranked Fedor Emelianenko.
As for Lesnar, they should’ve had him first fight fellow pro-wrestler, but Olympic champ wrestler Kurt Angle, and have the winner take on Couture.
Sure, once upon a while ago those would’ve been good fights (Couture did fight and beat Randleman a few years ago), but I think now they’d be heavy one-sided beatings handed out by Couture. Especially against Kerr.
Without a doubt. Fedor’s clinical dismantling of Sylvia to me bears testament to just how good he is - hammer him for a few seconds then crush his windpipe with his forearm. I agree that he has fought some relatively (to him, at least) weaker opponents (Choi, Lindland, even Hunt - was in trouble there for a moment, too), but he’s beaten Nogueira twice, Coleman twice (his first armbar submission was blindingly fast), Randleman (after getting dumped on his head), Filipovic, and others. His current contract allows for him to fight anyone in any organisation, but Dana White’s contracts say “Nuh uh!” to co-promotional contests. Who knows, maybe once the Affliction contract runs out he will go to the UFC. Dana White’s comments regarding Fedor have been amusing: “Who’s Fedor?! We want him! He’s overrated! If we wait, he will come!”
Would like to see Nogueira fight Couture as well.
Just guessing here, but considering that Couture hasn’t fought for just over a year now since the whole quitting-the UFC-saga, maybe it’s a fair enough match-up? It’ll be great for selling PPVs and could well be serving as a bit of a dressing down from the UFC, a message that Couture needs to prove himself again. A year is, after all, a long time in this sport - like right now, someone called Chuck Liddell is having a go at some chap called Rashad Evans (okay, I’m exagerating for effect here, but it wasn’t that long ago that Liddell was the UFC’s posterboy. Now, not so much, despite beating Silva in his last fight. One horrible hamstring injury later, some months out the sport, and other names and faces step up to fill the void quickly. Liddell’s record is excellent, and he fights top-tier opponents, but maybe when your time has come, it has come.)
And Lesnar doesn’t seem that bad, to be honest. Okay, I was a bit bored by his last fight against Herring - yeah, he controlled him admirably well on the ground, but despite Herring’s face looking like he’d been hit with a steel girder, he wasn’t finished - but he’s got the size and the athleticism to make something of this, especially in the UFC’s heavyweight division. Certainly a far better prospect than Kimbo.
I’d also like to see some of the lighter guys fighting in Japan fight top-quality UFC opponents. Guys like Hansen and Alvarez, hell, even get Melendez out of Strikeforce.
I’m worried about Couture having it handed to him. I really like Couture, but he’s not going to be able to play it smart with Lesnar like he did with Gonzaga. Couture is stronger than Gonzaga, but that will not be the case against Lesnar. Lesnar is bigger and stronger than Couture, and he can hit harder. Couture’s skills are superior, and he is far more experienced, but Lesnar is too heavy, he’s too strong, and he’s going to overwhelm the old man, IMO.
Both these guys have a plate full on this one, but if I have to guess, I’d put my money on Lesnar. First impressions and all, Lesnar may have lost his first fight, but it was by submission and he showed huge improvements on the ground in his last fight. He’s never taken a beating yet (not even close), and I am really not sure Couture will be able to punish him enough for the win. Couture’s best game is to tire Lesnar out. But that’s a dangerous game plan. The longer you spend in the ring with a guy like Lesnar, the more chances you have to get caught.
marboulette
Well, I think these two match up well together in regards to styles: dirty boxing and wrestling. I honestly think that Lesnar is going to disappoint a lot of fans by kicking the snot out of Couture. I like Couture, always have and I’ve always admired his fighting style but this time he’s going up against a new guy with the same skill set. It’s a tough call though I don’t think Couture is going to be powerful enough to handle Lesnar. Same style…much more power from Lesnar.
I’d say this is another one of those events where you’re looking for the guy with a lack of finesse to come out on top. But he won’t won’t. Lack of finesse doesn’t hide some secret super power - it hides lack of talent. How could Lesner possibly win this?
Finesse and power. Some might argue that, to a certain extent, ground and pound, which I believe is the strategy both of these fighters are expected to employ, is basically a lack of finesse – that, rather than suddenly, unexpectedly, catching the opponent in a rare, brazilian toe lock and forcing him to tap out, one forcefully climbs on top of they guy and brutally pounds the guy in the face until he’s on the verge of permanent brain damage and the ref has to step in and stop it.
The former, especially because it can be done by a much smaller fighter (recall Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock) is seen as finesse and the latter is seen as primal brutality which may prevail, but is more a sign of size and power than real skill.
But that, of course, is an oversimplification. Couture is a king of ground and pound not because he’s a giant, steroid-inflated cartoon character like Lesnar, but because he’s so damned skillful as a wrestler that he succeeds in gaining and maintaining the mounted position (and because he throws hard punches once he’s there).
[quote=“ScottSommers”] How could Lesner possibly win this?[/quote]In an interview I watched on YouTube, Lesnar answered that question while sitting next to Couture. He said “I’m younger, I’m bigger and I’m stronger.” Then he added “Of course he (Couture) faced these evils before, so we’ll see what happens.” Those are three significant things when it comes to winning a fight. Especially the bigger and stronger part of it. Couture did not disagree with him, either, because it’s true and he knows it. Sure Couture is more experienced and his skills are more developed, but Lesnar is not exactly an amateur, either. And with the extra weight and strength, he has very good chances of coming out on top. The guy is nearly impossible to take down, too.
As for finesse, I agree that couture is a great fighter, but it certainly did not show in his last fight with Gonzaga. He seemed afraid to exchange, literally. 25 minutes fight that consisted in about 20 minutes of keeping Gonzaga clenched to the fence with minimum punishment. I was very disappointed with his last fight even though it may have been his game plan from the get go. And like I said earlier, that won’t work with Lesnar. The guy is too big and too strong.
We’ll have to wait and see…
marboulette
Marb. It’s a a little old to say that you’re entitled to your own opinion, but you gotta admit you’re pretty much alone in the world saying “…couture is a great fighter, but it certainly did not show in his last fight with Gonzaga.”
Orange County Register “Couture roughed up Gonzaga in the clinch for more than two rounds before taking him down and pounding him out”.
MMA Source “Couture Manhandles Gonzaga”
Sports Illustrated “Ten seconds into the bout, Couture stunned Gonzaga with a straight left, and then scored a takedown and clambered to Gonzaga’s back.”
Brawl Sports “Couture (16-8) dictated the pace of the fight from the outset”
And having seen the fight, I am much more prone to agree with UFC referee Herb Dean who officiated the match when he repeatedly warned Gonzaga that he had to fight back or he’d disqualify him.
Hate to say it again…Lesnar’s going to ‘Kong’ Couture.
Bas Rutten on MMA TV looked worried for Randy. He expressed how this fight is pretty brutal considering it’s Randy’s first fight back in what? A year +? I don’t remember.
Randy definitely has his hands full.
Yes, the critics are talking about the whole five minutes of action. But it was a 25 minutes fight. One or two takedowns in a championship match and a clinch for a whole two rounds! He took his back and he pounded him a bit on the ground. I’m sure Gonzaga got hurt more while shaving before. He looked intact at the end of the fight. Tired, but unharmed. Couture won a decision but he did not punish Gonzaga. End of story.
I’m serious. That fight sucked.
[quote]Lesnar’s going to ‘Kong’ Couture.[/quote]I’d like to see Randy win, but I agree with you. This fight is not going to go well for him. He’ll be lucky to make it past first round.
marboulette
BIG M. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you have credibility when it comes to calling fights. Really, your pick is always the guys who yells and screams or has no proper preparation.
Marb. Did you really watch the fight? Gonzaga was mauled. He had a broken nose from an unintentional head butt. He could barely fight and was continually being warned about not fighting. While I would have to agree that he was able to avoid a TKO, and given his striking power, there’s always the possibility he could have come back if his nose wasn’t broken. But honestly, you’re the only person I’ve read who says anything like this. If you mean he wasn’t knocked out, that’s correct. If you mean he was hardly marked, that’s completely wrong. If you mean he was holding his own, I’ve seen the fight and read dozens of reviews and opinions; no one else says this, if only because he had a broken nose.
But sure, we will get to see what happens to Couture.
[quote=“ScottSommers”]He could barely fight and was being continually warned about not fighting. [/quote]Exactly, and yet it went to the score cards. If the guy couldn’t fight, what was Couture doing clinching him for 2 whole rounds? It was a boring fight is what I’m saying. I was disappointed in Couture. He had a guy with a broken nose in front of him. Had he been willing to trade, he could have finished him.
[quote]But sure, we will get to see what happens to Couture.[/quote]Or what happens to Lesnar… 
Looking forward to it.
marboulette
[quote=“ScottSommers”]BIG M. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you have credibility when it comes to calling fights. Really, your pick is always the guys who yells and screams or has no proper preparation.
Marb. Did you really watch the fight? Gonzaga was mauled. He had a broken nose from an unintentional head butt. He could barely fight and was continually being warned about not fighting. While I would have to agree that he was able to avoid a TKO, and given his striking power, there’s always the possibility he could have come back if his nose wasn’t broken. But honestly, you’re the only person I’ve read who says anything like this. If you mean he wasn’t knocked out, that’s correct. If you mean he was hardly marked, that’s completely wrong. If you mean he was holding his own, I’ve seen the fight and read dozens of reviews and opinions; no one else says this, if only because he had a broken nose.
But sure, we will get to see what happens to Couture.[/quote]
For the record: I’ve called all of the fights correctly as of lately. Kane as a witness. ha
No it didn’t. It was a third round - out of 5, this was a championship fight - TKO.
Tenderising meat.
He was, and did.
Maybe you’re thinking of the Sylvia fight. THAT went to five rounds. But it wasn’t boring.
Maybe we’ve all got different opinions of what a boring fight is. Personally, as long as there’s constant action, regardless of whether it’s on the feet or on the ground, I don’t think of a fight as boring. I mean, look at Saturday’s Liddell-Evans fight. In my opinion, that was a boring fight, until a couple minutes into the second when Evans folded Liddell with that punch. But until that point, it had been jab, jab, fish, fish, backpedal, backpedal. Compare that to the Brown-Kim fight, which did go to a decision. Back and forth for three rounds, only sealed late in the third (much to the disappointment of the crowd) by Kim when he took Brown down again and finished the round strong with elbows.
Thanks for refreshing my memory. That’s not good, man. I was sure I remembered a 25 minutes boring fight. Anyways, you’re right, that’s just me. I do remember finding the fight boring as hell and thinking Couture did not deliver they way I expected him to.
marboulette
There’s a reason I like Couture and it’s not just that he’s a great fighter. I like him for the same reasons I don’t like Kimbo or Lesner. They are loud, flashy, and represent immorality in the sport. I’m probably wrong but my sense is that they are the kind of people who bring a bad name to the sport of fighting. Now I know is ridiculous, and perhaps it interfers with my ability to adequately weigh the skill of fighters like Kimbo or Lesner. But just the same, fans of fighters like Lesner will have trouble appreciating the finesse that someone like Couture has in the ring.