UFC 81

[quote]Donut62 wrote:

Honestly, I don’t know how to pick this fight. It’s pretty much a piss into the wind. Mir is an eternal underachiever, and Brock is a big strong FREAKISHLY athletic guy who we haven’t even seen get hit in the face yet. [/quote]

That’s a great summary. Now that I think about it perhaps it will be worth the paltry sum of $39.99 to find out…heh.

[quote]analog_kid wrote:

I don’t think anyone is doubting Lesnar is a big strong ass dude and has a great work ethic, but the fact remains that he is hella inexperienced and MMA is some tricky shit. Case in point, I can probably deadlift more than GSP. I’m also a lot bigger physically than he is. Unless I get to bring…oh I don’t know…a sword and some guns to the cage, he will beat my ass into oblivion.
[/quote]

I assume you are not an NCAA D1 champ, either? Right?!?

Poor analogy. Look at MMA and how top tier wrestlers have faired. If you think Mir is going to just be able to throw in an armbar on Lesnar like some douchebag who was trying to act like a tough guy and wouldn’t move out of your way the when you walked past him the last time you watched a fight at the bar you’re nuts.

[quote]apwsearch wrote:
analog_kid wrote:

I don’t think anyone is doubting Lesnar is a big strong ass dude and has a great work ethic, but the fact remains that he is hella inexperienced and MMA is some tricky shit. Case in point, I can probably deadlift more than GSP. I’m also a lot bigger physically than he is. Unless I get to bring…oh I don’t know…a sword and some guns to the cage, he will beat my ass into oblivion.

I assume you are not an NCAA D1 champ, either? Right?!?

Poor analogy. Look at MMA and how top tier wrestlers have faired. If you think Mir is going to just be able to throw in an armbar on Lesnar like some douchebag who was trying to act like a tough guy and wouldn’t move out of your way the when you walked past him the last time you watched a fight at the bar you’re nuts.

[/quote]

You right. Lesnar just dominates everything he does. I mean, look at his football career!

UFC 81 preview on Spike at 11 tonight. Should be interesting to see Brock’s training.

[quote]apwsearch wrote:
Lesnar’s coach at U of MN told us he was the hardest working athlete he has ever worked with. If you are familiar with their wrestling program you will realize how strong of a statement that is.
[/quote]

Back in my highschool wrasslin’ days I was signed up to go to J Robinson’s Summer Camp (FYI, he’s the long-time Head Coach @ UofM). It was considered the singlemost grueling, intense, work-til-you puke month-long camp in the country – by far. Unfortunately, I blew out my shoulder in a Freestyle match and had to cancel.

U of M is definitely one of those programs that is good because they outwork everyone (not unlike Iowa). The comment about him being the hardest worker at a program like that means something.

If you’re a D1 National Champ, you’re a certifiable badass. Period. Not that Mir is a pushover, but Lesnar would have to be taken seriously if he HADN’T been training MMA for a few years. Like Koschek, the base is there – and I bet he can pick up the rest of it quicker than most. Viewing him as a Pro Wrestling meathead would be quite a mistake.

That being said, I have no idea who wins, and I’m rooting for Mir.

[quote]analog_kid wrote:

You right. Lesnar just dominates everything he does. I mean, look at his football career!
[/quote]

Either you are being a smart ass or you are a fucking idiot. Either way, I don’t have time or energy for your stupid shit as you sound like someone who has never competed in anything meaningful in their life.

The bottom line is we will see what happens Saturday. I suspect one of us will be busting the other’s balls, with just cause, on Monday.

[quote]Donut62 wrote:

Honestly, I don’t know how to pick this fight. It’s pretty much a piss into the wind. Mir is an eternal underachiever, and Brock is a big strong FREAKISHLY athletic guy who we haven’t even seen get hit in the face yet. [/quote]

Totally agree. I’m finally going to get back to making predictions. New year, gotta be better for me than 07’s Upset-tastic schedule. I’m picking Lesnar, based on the freakish natural tools he has, his work ethic, and wrestling background. I’m going against Mir precisely because of his perennial underachiever status.

I know all about his breaking arms and limbs and sick submissions early on, but I’ve never been impressed with him when I’ve seen him at work. I think he’s mid-tier at best with the post-accident mental thing. If Lesnar’s got a solid chin and stays away from trouble in the submission game, I see him winning by sheer size.

Also, although I pretty well hate the WWF/E ‘wrestling’, I have to admit I’d really really like to see Lesnar get on top of the cage and elbow drop Mir :). Second Lesnar by F5.

Sylvia/Nog. Nog takes this if he shows up in shape and intent. Especially if Sylvia tries to just lay down and survive. An intent Nog is a threat to pretty much anyone. Sylvia is slow, boring (I know I know, it doesn’t make any difference in reality–I just hate him), and doesn’t have a killer instinct anymore. Capt. America did it, Nog is just as capable. I don’t think he has to submit Timmah to win it either.

On a side note, Hoo-ah Wildcats! Streak ends today! And we lead the conference. Suck it down Lawrence.

/hijack :slight_smile:

I just watched the preview on Spike tonight.
My predictions are Nog by submission in the third and Mir same route in the second.

Nog did look to be in pretty good shape. As to just how good I guess we will see Friday during the weigh ins.

However it wouldnt shock me at all if ol Brock suprises the heck outta everyone. Depending on just how intense his training has been the last couple years.

I’m very curious about Frank Mir and how he’s going to perform. I used to be a big fan of his pre-accident, and I think the fact the entire UFC is talking about Brock and ignoring him might be a very good motivator.

[quote]Nikiforos wrote:
I’m very curious about Frank Mir and how he’s going to perform. I used to be a big fan of his pre-accident, and I think the fact the entire UFC is talking about Brock and ignoring him might be a very good motivator.[/quote]

A good possibility, but I somehow doubt Mir will ever come back to contend again. From what I understand, Frank has a very good paying job as head of security at the Spearmint Rhino in Vegas. He doesn’t really need to fight, and he has to work extremely long hours late into the night at the club which precludes his training time. So if you are at the Rhino don’t touch the ladies or Frank will snap your arm off.

Aaaaah, the Rhino! I’ll be there in June. :slight_smile:

[quote]Donut62 wrote:
Nikiforos wrote:
I’m very curious about Frank Mir and how he’s going to perform. I used to be a big fan of his pre-accident, and I think the fact the entire UFC is talking about Brock and ignoring him might be a very good motivator.

A good possibility, but I somehow doubt Mir will ever come back to contend again. From what I understand, Frank has a very good paying job as head of security at the Spearmint Rhino in Vegas. He doesn’t really need to fight, and he has to work extremely long hours late into the night at the club which precludes his training time. So if you are at the Rhino don’t touch the ladies or Frank will snap your arm off.[/quote]

[quote]apwsearch wrote:
analog_kid wrote:

You right. Lesnar just dominates everything he does. I mean, look at his football career!

Either you are being a smart ass or you are a fucking idiot. Either way, I don’t have time or energy for your stupid shit as you sound like someone who has never competed in anything meaningful in their life.

The bottom line is we will see what happens Saturday. I suspect one of us will be busting the other’s balls, with just cause, on Monday.[/quote]

Wow, a little rough huh?lol

And did someone say they would pick Nog to win/lose based on his abs!!!

Wow.

Watched the Countdown show last night…

  1. Nog looks to be in great shape coming into the fight. Gotta love the fact he’s using the O-lifts. He definitely looks in better shape than the Herrig fight last year.

  2. Lesnar is a stud. Did you see how big he was in college? The dude was a chiseled monster, even before he went to WWE. There’s no way Mir’s gonna be able to stop Lesnar’s takedowns. Mir looks re-focused in his training, which is good to see. Sure there’s question marks around Lesnar’s submission defense and striking, but man, he sure has the ability to a dominant force in the HW division if he can string it all together.

  3. Sylvia looks like he needs a change of scenery. He just seemed to be going through the motions in his workouts. Of course, perhaps he was just having a bad day, but I didn’t see any fire or intensity while he was training. You saw that from Nogueria, Lesnar and even Mir. Timmah just looks blah, kind of like how he fights.

As for the PPV, I’m going with a Lesnar TKO late in round 1; and a Noguiera UD over Sylvia.

Am I the only one who anticipates Lesnar will use the Rulon Gardner stratagem versus Mir?

I would not be the least bit surprised if Greg Nelson and the guys at MMAA have told Brock to use his wrestling to keep this fight standing and turn it into an sloppy boxing match.

Aside from his KO of a completely gassed Wes Simms, Mir has never posed any kind of Danger on his feet. He won’t KO Lesnar, and he can’t submit him if the fight never goes to the ground. Plus, Frank has show a definite tendency to wilt when getting his face smashed in. He flat out quit when Ian Freeman and Marcio Cruz started smacking him around, and I personally believe he could have continued after the Sims stomps but elected to take the easy DQ victory instead.

I am expecting an ugly clinch-oriented slugfest where Lesnar ragdolls Mir all over the octagon, pummels him with dirty boxing, and then finishes him off with some brutal ground & pound.

Funny how so many guys are in awe about Lesnar, who is practically a nobody in MMA. Did he enjoy any victories over great opponents?-no.
Has he any significant MMA or fighting experience-no again.

I’m betting on Mir, thank you very much.

[quote]Schwarzfahrer wrote:
Funny how so many guys are in awe about Lesnar, who is practically a nobody in MMA. Did he enjoy any victories over great opponents?-no.
Has he any significant MMA or fighting experience-no again.

I’m betting on Mir, thank you very much.

[/quote]

Obviously, because fantastic amatuer wrestlers and grapplers have never been able to do anything in MMA.

[quote]Steve4192 wrote:
Am I the only one who anticipates Lesnar will use the Rulon Gardner stratagem versus Mir?

[/quote]

That is actually a pretty good thought. However, Mir isn’t exactly a stadium champion in Thailand, but I think he’s a bit more risky to trade with than Yoshida.

Sure, he WAS good, some time ago in a sport that was not MMA nor Boxing/Thai Boxing. A manly sport, which required great physical prowess and athleticism but where the pressure of being brutalized in the face was not a factor.

Does Karam Gaber, for instance, ring a bell? Great talent, wrestling-technique wise lightyears ahead of Brock, but no MMA material.

I want to point out that a few guys here are blinded by his dazzling showwrestling corona. We’ll have to see if he’s champion material. Chances are, he is barely a middle tier GnP’er with great PR.

There, that is my observation. I don’t want to evolve this any further on my part, so feel free to have last words.

I reaaaallly want want Lesnar to be the real deal and win because i want hype in the HW division. But only if he is the real deal.

Having some excitement in there might have brought in new ppl from other places. Other than to fight Randy why would Fedor come to the UFC? To beat Nog for a 4th time? There doesn’t seem to be a big challenge there any more.

But maybe if a BJ, Anderson Silva type beast appears in the HW’s we might get more action. I’m quite happy to watch one guy dominate for a year or 2 while the division fixes itself as long as it is not a boring guy like Timmay. They must be entertaining.