How long will it take for Crocop to become champion? The same amount of time it takes for him to get a title shot. [/quote]
I’ve been a Cro-Cop fan for a long time, however given the proceedings at UFC 68 I’d struggle to bet against Couture. Cro-Cop’s chin is not made of steel, Randelman can attest to that, whilst those right overhands that Couture was throwing were savage.
One thing is for sure, Couture vs. Cro-Cop will make for a far better match than Sylvia vs. Cro-Cop.
When I found out that UFC 70 was taking place in Manchester I got so psyched that I nearly tore a rift through space-time. I have my tickets sitting right next to me and am counting the days.
The advertising push for this event has been unreal, it is weird as hell seeing Cro-Cop’s face all over the street. Any other British T-Nationers heading down to the MEN Arena for the PPV?
i just checked out mma weekly, some cool stuff but why the hell do they have diego sanchez ranked #4? he hasnt fought anyone good yet.[/quote]
What?
Karo used to occupy the #4 slot before Diego whooped his ass all over the octagon. The Nightmare also owns a victory over the pothead who slapped a gogoplata on Takanori Gomi. In what twisted worldview are Karo Parysian and Nick ‘I aint no bitch’ Diaz no good?
Methinks your hatred for Diego has rendered you a bit biased.
[quote]bigblue244 wrote:
I think it’s absolutely ridiculous, though, that Cro Cop is fighting another opponent that he will walk through…I’d like to see him fight some true competition. I feel like Dana White and his incessive desire to expose Pride fighters would have thrown Arlovski, Syliva, Liddell, and the kitchen sink at him in a Royal Rumble match by now.[/quote]
You are right about the mismatches. But I doubt Dana wants to destroy CroCop in a bid to show the superiority of UFC over pride. If he wanted to do that he would use someone who isn’t quite as much as a threat as Mirko.
He is building Mirko up as a great UFC fighter not as a guy from Pride.
If you saw (I forget which recent UFC event) where they started talking about Mirko’s coming to the UFC they didn’t once mention Pride and they wouldn’t even show a clip of him in Pride. They just showed a digital Croatian flag but they showed footage of Rampage fighting in a CAGE.
It would be too risky to try to use someone like CroCop as an example. Better to market him as one of the UFC greats.
[quote]Edders wrote:
They are putting him against Elvis sackoshit…err I mean Sinosic. He never beat anyone good in his life.[/quote]
First of all, when did T-Nation turn into the Sherdog forums? How about showing a modicum of respect for a guy who is willing to step into the cage and face another man who is looking to tear his head off? Sinosic’s record sucks because he almost never takes an easy fight. Horn, Sobral, Shamrock, Ortiz, Tanner, Kikuta … Elvis’ record reads like a who’s who of the 185/205 pound divisions.
Second, Elvis does own a victory over Jeremy Horn, so he has ‘beaten someone good in his life’.
The reason you’re not seeing CroCop or Rampage getting title shots right out of the gate is because while both fighters were huge stars in Japan and are well-known to hardcore MMA fans, most fans of the UFC don’t know who either guy is, or know very little.
So, taking a page out of pro wrestling (Dana does this a lot although he likes to deny it), he’s building both guys up in an attempt to get more fans interested in them before he signs them to a big-money title fight.
It’s all about getting the maximum number of PPV buys per show and selling the most tickets at the arena.
It doesn’t mean we have to like it, but that’s the way the business is.
[quote]Djwlfpack wrote:
The reason you’re not seeing CroCop or Rampage getting title shots right out of the gate is because while both fighters were huge stars in Japan and are well-known to hardcore MMA fans, most fans of the UFC don’t know who either guy is, or know very little.
So, taking a page out of pro wrestling (Dana does this a lot although he likes to deny it), he’s building both guys up in an attempt to get more fans interested in them before he signs them to a big-money title fight.[/quote]
In regards to Cro Cop, I agree.
In regards to Rampage, not so much.
Dana wanted to do the Chuck-Rampage rematch at UFC 71 but Rampage has stated repeatedly that he wants to get a few more fights under his belt before he faces Chuck again. Dana gave in and told him he could have one more ‘warmup’ fight before the rematch.
[quote]Djwlfpack wrote:
The reason you’re not seeing CroCop or Rampage getting title shots right out of the gate is because while both fighters were huge stars in Japan and are well-known to hardcore MMA fans, most fans of the UFC don’t know who either guy is, or know very little.
[/quote]
I’m pretty sure that a lot of people are aware that Liddell got beaten by Rampage, although I think that you may well be right about Cro-Cop.
I remember seeing the interview with Dana White in which he spilled the beans about UFC 70 being held in Manchester, in it he stated that Cro Cop would have one more fight there before getting his title shot.
I’m fairly certain that Cro-Cop only has a 3 fight contract and plans to take the title with him to Pride with a view to beating Fedor to complete his year.
I’m fairly certain that Cro-Cop only has a 3 fight contract and plans to take the title with him to Pride with a view to beating Fedor to complete his year.[/quote]
Nope. It’s a two-year, six-fight deal.
Do you REALLY think Dana would give Cro Cop a title shot with the last fight remaning on his contract? Brandon Vera is currently in limbo for precisely that reason. Dana wanted Vera-Sylvia to be the main event at UFC 68, but when Brandon refused to sign an extension, White managed to coax Couture out of retirement with a shot at the title. Meanwhile, Vera is left sitting on his hands until his contract runs out, at which time Dana plans to match him up against Jake ‘the blanket’ O’Brien in hopes that Jake can dry hump his way to victory and Brandon will leave the UFC with a black mark on his record.
I’m going to this one. Me and 5 friends are going and it will rock! Went to UFC 38 when it was in London too.
I’m just so happy that i get to see Cro Cop fight live.
On another note, i really don’t understand the Diego hate. He’s a good fighter and he’s not as arrogant as people make out. He just beleives in himself.
I fought bisping once…many moons ago. Nearly won too!
He used to train with us once in a while, my old trainer used to really rate him (can see why!)
Damn it. I knoew i should have stuck with it. He is just a natural fighter. I am secretly very pleased he is in the big time, and i think could get to the top.
[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
Nikiforos wrote:
payne66 wrote:
I saw something the other night about UFC 70 being in London. They didn’t announce the fights but they kept showing clips of Cro Cop and Arlovsky. I don’t know if they are fighting each other but that was implied.
It’s actually in Manchester. Promo posters here have been showing these two side to side, might be something to it.
I hear they are going to be tag team partners.[/quote]
Hey maybe UFC should start having ladder matches or better yet, table matches!
i just checked out mma weekly, some cool stuff but why the hell do they have diego sanchez ranked #4? he hasnt fought anyone good yet.
What?
Karo used to occupy the #4 slot before Diego whooped his ass all over the octagon. The Nightmare also owns a victory over the pothead who slapped a gogoplata on Takanori Gomi. In what twisted worldview are Karo Parysian and Nick ‘I aint no bitch’ Diaz no good?
Methinks your hatred for Diego has rendered you a bit biased.[/quote]
Except rankings shouldn’t work retroactively.
Rankings don’t reflect who would beat who or have to validate a career, they are just a snapshot in time. They reflect accomplishments. So I can’t rank Sherk yet at LW. What also doesn’t make sense about weekly’s rankings is Aoki is missing from the WW rankings. They have Kikuchi in the WW rankings who Aoki beat recently. THey should rank Aoki in LW and WW like they rank Henderson at MW and LHW. Also Lindland at #1 is ridiculous. Also Mach Sakurai at #1 is bizarre(though I like Mach).
I’m fairly certain that Cro-Cop only has a 3 fight contract and plans to take the title with him to Pride with a view to beating Fedor to complete his year.
Nope. It’s a two-year, six-fight deal.
Do you REALLY think Dana would give Cro Cop a title shot with the last fight remaning on his contract? Brandon Vera is currently in limbo for precisely that reason. Dana wanted Vera-Sylvia to be the main event at UFC 68, but when Brandon refused to sign an extension, White managed to coax Couture out of retirement with a shot at the title. Meanwhile, Vera is left sitting on his hands until his contract runs out, at which time Dana plans to match him up against Jake ‘the blanket’ O’Brien in hopes that Jake can dry hump his way to victory and Brandon will leave the UFC with a black mark on his record.[/quote]
Yes it is a six fight deal. Mirko has said he doesn’t intend it to take 2 years though. Mirko also said he wanted the title shot at latest in the summer. Which he will get if he beats Gonzaga. So it is possible to have more than three fights this year for Mirko. Mirko has also made clear his wishes to fight Fedor in Japan as the Pride OWGP champ and UFC HW champ. This for Fedor’s Pride HW title.
[quote]AdamC wrote:
I’m going to this one. Me and 5 friends are going and it will rock! Went to UFC 38 when it was in London too.
I’m just so happy that i get to see Cro Cop fight live.
On another note, i really don’t understand the Diego hate. He’s a good fighter and he’s not as arrogant as people make out. He just beleives in himself.
[/quote]
If two of those five friends are in your avitar can I go with you???
[quote]miniross wrote:
I fought bisping once…many moons ago. Nearly won too!
He used to train with us once in a while, my old trainer used to really rate him (can see why!)
Damn it. I knoew i should have stuck with it. He is just a natural fighter. I am secretly very pleased he is in the big time, and i think could get to the top.[/quote]
Maybe if he improves his ground game he’d have a shot.
[quote]Edders wrote:
miniross wrote:
I fought bisping once…many moons ago. Nearly won too!
He used to train with us once in a while, my old trainer used to really rate him (can see why!)
Damn it. I knoew i should have stuck with it. He is just a natural fighter. I am secretly very pleased he is in the big time, and i think could get to the top.
Maybe if he improves his ground game he’d have a shot.
[/quote]
I what you mean. our trainer was ok, but not on that level of ground game.
Maybe if he improves his ground game he’d have a shot.
[/quote]
Bisping’s BJJ is pretty slick. It was reported that he occasionaly caught Dean Lister while training on TUF3, and Lister is a sub-grappling god.
Net, Bisping’s WRESTLING is horrible, but once on the ground his solid BJJ makes him pretty dangerous. Obviously, he needs to improve his wrestling skills if he wants to utilize his fantastic striking, but it is not like he is a fish out of water on the ground.
This fight card will be live and free here in states on Spike TV it was announced. That’s right, a full 3 hours of free PPV fights. It was supposed to be on HBO but they haven’t finished negotiations yet and it was too late to set up their PPV slot so we all get to see the best card yet this year for free.