UFC 82: Pride of a Champion

[Mojambo]

REALLY been looking forward to this one. Tremendous style match-up in the main event.

What say you, my DU brothers and sisters, about this fight card?

MAIN CARD

Anderson Silva vs. Dan Henderson (for the UFC Middleweight Title)

Doesn't get much better than this. Elite striker with a more than passable BJJ game from his back against an all-world wrestler with (imo) the best chin in MMA. I think it's a pick em, but I'd love to see Henderson win the title.

Heath Herring vs. Cheick Kongo

I think Herring's got a good enough wrestling game to exploit Kongo's weak takedown defense and probably win a unanimous decision. If Herring tries to stand and bang this might end up being a real fun fight to watch. Good test to see whether Kongo is expanding his game enough to be a true title contender.

Alessio Sakara vs. Chris Leben

How does this fight not end in a KO? First guy to land a clean right hand wins, IMO. Leben's chin gives him the advantage.

Yushin Okami vs. Evan Tanner

How great is it to have Evan Tanner back? I'm really hoping he does well, but Okami is a pretty stiff test. Tanner better be in damn good shape. My dream scenario is an impressive Tanner win maybe leading to another match with Rich Franklin.

Chris Wilson vs. Jon Fitch

Don't know enough about Wilson to make much of a prediction, but Fitch is awesome and I don't see him losing this fight. Fitch by 1st round GnP.

PRELIMINARY CARD

Jake O’Brien vs. Andrei Arlovski

The last fight of Arlovski's contract and he doesn't even make the main card? Remember when he was the UFC's biggest draw? Despite the big motivation for Arlovski I kinda like O'Brien in the upset here.

Luigi Fioravanti vs. Luke Cummo

I've always liked Cummo's fighting style. I think he continues to flash an improving submission game and takes out Fioravanti with a guillotine in round 2.

Dustin Hazelett vs. Josh Koscheck

I think Koscheck has the advantage standing and is strong enough to muscle out of submissions if he decides to put the BJJ guy on his back. Probably a TKO win for Josh Koscheck.

John Halverson vs. Jorge Gurgel

If this fight goes like all of Gurgel's other fights he will stupidly eschew his BJJ advantage, try to stand with Halverson, and proceed to get his face tenderized for all 3 rounds, losing a decision. If Gurgel keeps his head and fights the appropriate way I think he'll submit Halverson, but I wouldn't count on it.

David Bielkheden vs. Diego Sanchez

I don't know anything about Bielkheden except he doesn't appear to be much of a finisher. This fight looks like a gimmie for Sanchez. Obviously the UFC is trying to get him back on track after a rough couple of losses. Sanchez wins early and easily via submission opened up by ground strikes.

[tired]

1. I'm looking forward to Arlovski fighting again...

This looks like it could turn out to be one of the better events we've seen in a while.

[rinsd]

2. I hope they show the prelim matches. They look good.

[TroubleMan]

3. I can't wait for Silva/Hendo.

I've been thinking about it all week. This is literally one of the biggest fights in MMA history, if you're a hardcore fan. We have two of the best pound-for-pounders fighting for a unification belt, and they're both in the prime of their fighting career. This match-up is so intriguing:

Silva is probably the best striker in MMA, but Hendo has one-punch KO power in his right hand and an incredible chin.

Hendo was an Olympian in Greco-Roman, but Silva is one of the most dangerous fighters in the clinch.

Hendo is one of the best wrestlers in MMA and has excellent ground and pound, but Silva is a black belt in jiujitsu (given out by the Nogueira's - which is a hard one to get) and has one of the slickest guards in the business.

There's just so much unsure in this fight - both fighters are good at everything - not just good, but excellent.

I'm very surprised they're putting Okami/Tanner on the main card as opposed to the Arlovski fight. Tanner has been basically in a drunken stupor for the better part of two years, and he's fighting a guy who's not gonna make a stupid mistake. Arlovski, who used to be one of their biggest draws, is fighting an undefeated up-and-comer. The Okami/Tanner fight looks to go to a slow decision, while Arlvoski has a good chance to KO this guy spectacularly. I know the UFC is scared of O'Brien laying on Arlovski all night - that and this is Arlovkski's last fight on this contract, and I think they're sending him a message by this. They would be stupid to let him go, though, because M-1, Elite XC, HDNet, or Yarenoka will snatch him very quickly.

[TroubleMan]

4. Wow. Anderson Silva might be unstoppable.

After stopping Hendo like that, I don't know he'll be beat at 185 in a long time. Hendo roughed him up a little in the first round, but Silva is very, very patient. Silva is good at all aspects, jiujitsu, boxing, kickboxing, the clinch, everything. Unless he gets lazy or overconfident, I don't know who can beat him. I used to think Lindland could, but after tonight, I don't think that anymore.

[Wetzelbill]

5. you would never know this was the same guy who lost to Ryo Chonan

He's awesome. He's the best guy in the game today I think. Fedor, yeah, but he hasn't been fighting much for a few years now. In that time, Silva has put on an unbelievable run. He destroyed Rich Franklin twice, and Hendo once, good luck with anybody beating this guy for awhile. Henderson was the only guy who could've done it. And maybe he could've but it's tough to grind out a win when you eat a frickin' knee like that. Silva only needs one good shot to turn a fight on it's head. He's ineffably tough. I remember that Leben fight, you just knew Leben was dead about 5 seconds into the fight. Just the way Silva moves and carries himself. He so badly outclasses people, he's like a cheetah picking apart a rabbit or something. He makes the very best look bad. Highly impressive.

[TroubleMan]

6. Check out these statistics on Silva since the Chonan fight:

http://www.fightmetric.com/AndersonSilva.html

vs Rivera: 73% striking accuracy

vs Stout: 86% striking accuracy

vs Okami: 80% striking accuracy

vs Fryklund: 76% striking accuracy

vs Leben: 85% striking accuracy

vs Franklin (I): 85% striking accuracy

vs Lutter: 89% striking accuracy

vs Marquardt: 59% striking accuracy

vs Franklin (II): 81% striking accuracy

vs Henderson: 73% striking accuracy
____

That's absolutely amazing. He won all of those fights, except vs Okami, where he was disqualified for an illegal kick that knocked Okami out (he misunderstood the rules). Here's a good article, which was put out before UFC 82 about it:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=ys-fightmet022808&prov=yhoo&type=lgns


When explaining the difference between Silva and Chris Leben, Joe Rogan simply said, “Silva is a different kind of striker.” That would be putting it lightly.

Over the course of his career, Silva’s average striking accuracy per-fight is an even 70%. To give some context, the average fighter’s accuracy is around 35%, and Silva’s opponents’ accuracy in their fights against him is 24%. That means Silva is twice as accurate as your standard fighter and nearly three times as accurate as the people fighting against him. His footwork and technique are such that not only does he connect, he also makes his opponents miss.

Silva has never had a fight in which his striking accuracy was less than 50%. If that doesn’t sound scary enough, think about it this way: If you see Anderson Silva about to throw a strike at you, chances are better than not that you’re about to get hurt.

[chicagomd]

7. Damn.

And a Noguiera black belt.

Okami 2 is next, one would presume, and then what?

Franklin 3?
Catch-weight fight with Hughes or Liddell?
How about Wanderlei at 185? Silva Vs. Silva, then you could bring Hendo back for a rematch with either one.

[Mojambo]

8. I think it's entirely legitimate to argue that p4p Silva is better than Fedor. n/t