Official MMA News/Discussion Thread

[CaptainCharisma]

BRUTALITY

 

[Rob Roy]

Herring MacDonald fight was slightly less than exciting. herring with zero takedown defense. Bitching about MacDonald stalling. This is MMA, it is scored on points. Would loved to have seen some throwing gloves though.

 

[onebigeric]

BRUTALITY

^For a change, and not a moment too soon. Like I said, I'm a fan now, 'cause I definitely wasn't one of his before.

BTW, which Japan-only SF game is your Cro-Cop avatar from, CC? Or is it a custom gif?

 

[CaptainCharisma]

i have no idea about my avi lol, i jacked it from another mma forum

 

[JS316]

Also...
I think Eddie Sanchez has a good chance of beating Crocop..

if he dies his hair blonde.

Think about it.......

I see my lame joke went above everyones heads..

what 3 things do Michael Mcdonald, Kevin Randleman and Mark Hunt have in common?

And thanx for the updates from Fight night guys

 

[CaptainCharisma]

I see my lame joke went above everyones heads..

what 3 things do Michael Mcdonald, Kevin Randleman and Mark Hunt have in common?

And thanx for the updates from Fight night guys

blonde hair is Cro Cops weakness

Sanchez has blonde hair btw...

 

[CaptainCharisma]

funniest part of last night

he deserved to get KOed for that

 

[onebigeric]

I liked Rogan's little 'lose style points on that one' comment to Randy

Plus, is it just me, or was Salmon a bit of a chunky LHW? Middleweight might be what he should shoot for, al'la Josh Haynes.

 

[CaptainCharisma]

Cro Cop Interview

It was a long three months for Japanese Pride fans between the September 10th GP final and UFC's New Years broadcast.
Mirko: "I have no excuses to make for going to the UFC. I have been to Japan 42 times. My feelings for Pride will never change."
After winning the GP belt and anticipation for a rematch with Fedor, why did you decide to leave Pride?

Mirko: "There was really alot of things going on. I think I will have to talk about it all some day. On the day of the GP final I turned 32 and thought I had to make some decisions. What was important that day were the people who have cheered and supported me.

What I wanted was for those people who have supported to me to think: "Pride's Mirko, who we have supported showed his strength and won". ....I do not think that this is a permanent farewell to Pride."
What do you mean? Is not your contract with the UFC for two years and 6 fights?

Mirko: " That is a little inaccurate. It is for six fights, but I have no plans for it taking two years."
Maybe you are right, at your pace it might take just a little over a year.

Mirko:" Three fights."
??

Mirko: "I will be the UFC champion in three matches."

That's great but would the UFC's president Dana White let you have a title match within three fights?

Mirko:" Actually he(Dana White) was going to match me up with Tim Sylvia. I guess Tim ran away(laughing). Right now I am very hungry. I want to fight every 2 and a half to three months. I want to have the belt by the summer and have a fight in the fall, then fight in Japan on New Years."
In Japan?

Mirko:" Yes. Pride and the UFC are rival organizations, but I think I can bring them together. You will have Pride's Champion Fedor and UFC champion and Pride Open weight Champion me. This is my real hope."

That would be a big event. How do you feel about Fedor?

Mirko:"I will never forget our fight. I have no excuses, that fight was a total defeat for me. There might be other fights that I have excuses for losing. That day in August 2005 in Saitama I have no excuses for. To me "that summer" has still not ended."

That means you cannot lose in the UFC

Mirko:" That is true. One reason for not staying in the UFC was inspired by Fedor."
What do you mean?

Mirko:" When Pride had their show in Las Vegas last October, Fedor fought Mark Coleman. It was an away fight for Fedor right? Despite that the American fans embraced this Russian, Fedor. This really surprised me.

Until that point I had thought that America was a country only concerned with what goes on within their borders. How can you say?...They look inward. Their own countrymen. At that fight

I thought that America's mma had opened up. That mma was no longer a minor sport. Before the show I went to Los Angeles and Santa Monica. Remember I said I wanted to go there when I first started mma(this is addressed to the interviewer)? There was a party held by American Croations. About 500 people.

There were alot of families. Alot of children Iwan's(Mirko's 3 year old son, sorry I do not know if it is spelled correctly) age. They had heard that I was a "star" in Croatia. They asked what kind of martial arts? America does not know what Pride is. They all asked about the UFC. "

How come you do not fight in the UFC?", I was at a loss. Soon the parents of these children were saying to me " Please show America what Croatia is." In Japan I was able to help Japanese understand more of Croatia.

Most Americans do not know where Croatia is. At that moment I thought I can be the one to help Americans understand our country. The UFC has high PPV numbers. That moment in Los Angeles served as a big inspiration to me. Right now in America there is a alot of money going around in the mma business. Not just Bodog. The UFC says they spend 100 million towards mma."
1.2 billion yen?!

Mirko:" But it isn't just about the money. No matter how much money you have I do not think you can beat the UFC. They have the fans, good promotion, connected to the mass media. Only one problem. I think my country men will have some problems."
Why?

MIrko:" My fights in Japan that were broadcast in Croatia were usually on Sunday and in the middle of tha day. Now they will be broadcast at four in the morning on Sunday(grinning). I get people saying to me " can't you do something about that?"."

 

[CaptainCharisma]

New Cro Cop interview, with a new video

TRANSCRIPT:

I: after a 10 year career and 5 years of PRIDE you have a new challenge: the UFC. Is it something new, different and unknown or not?
Crocop:It is not like that. Ultimate fight is ultimate fight. The rules are slightly different than Pride's, we don't fight in the ring but in the octagon or „cage“. It is somewhat dangerous to fall near the cage borders because of the wire but I will learn that aspect very soon.

I: About the heavyweight fighters in the UFC in comparison to PRIDE heavyweights: most of our viewers already know Fedor and Minotauro and know what a victory against them means, how about Eddie Sanchez and the champions that are waiting for you next like Sylvia or Arlovski, Americans, Byelorussians? How much do you know about them, how dangerous are they in comparison to the Pride’s heavyweights?
Crocop: Well, I think that currently the Pride’s heavyweights are slightly better, the names are “bigger”. From Fedor, Minotaouro, Kharitonov, Alexander, Barnett but I must not underestimate anyone. There are top class fighters in the UFC as well like Arlovski who is a TOP fighter and Tim Sylvia.

I: Sylvia is the current champion?
Crocop:He is the current champion, (pause) and we’ll go to fight.

I: Eddie Sanchez?
Crocop: Eddie Sanchez is one, as far as I saw, very solid fighter. He has a perfect score: 8 fights without a loss. I hope he will have his first loss on Saturday. As always I will give my best and won’t underestimate him.

I: What were the reasons that made you choose the UFC? What is really your motivation after winning the Pride’s OWGP championship?
Crocop:To be honest, I was a little satiated by always the same market, the event centers are always the same, my trips to Japan, while Las Vegas is a challenge and every athlete in combat sports wants to go there. The famous Mandalay bay, MGM Grand where, they say, even today live the ghosts of Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and “The Left Uppercut” Mike Tyson. So this really has to be witnessed, it is a special atmosphere and before my combat retirement I wanted to try doing some fights there. That was the crucial reason I chose to go there.

I: In Japan you are already a icon, they know you in the US? You have been to the announcement?
Crocop: I think Americans know a lot and are informed especially through Pay-per-view but now it will be even more popular with my arrival at the UFC. (Translator’s note: the meaning is intended that HE WILL become more popular in the US)

I: Is there anything more about Eddie Sanchez? We said he has 8 wins and 0 losses. He’s waiting for you on Saturday. Do you know anything else about him other than his score?
Crocop:I watched 2 of his fights. He is a brave fighter who comes forward. He is not scared. He’s a stand-up fighter as far as I saw. He tends to avoid taking the fight to the ground. He is a good striker both from the hands and legs, but this kind of fighting is “my home” and I don’t think there should be any problems, although I will repeat it: I respect him as a fighter and will give my best to win.

I: You have been fighting all your life in Japan. Everybody already knows the travel itinerary: you depart on Thursday and fight on Sundays. Now it is on the other side of the world in a totally opposite time-zone. Have you taken into account the time differences and what does this mean to you since the fight will be at 4 in the morning ?(Translator’s note: according to Croatian time-zone)
Crocop: I don’t think so because the trip to the west is easier for the body. For someone who is used to European time-zone it will be easier to travel to the US than to Japan.

I: Have you continued the collaboration with your trainers and professor Jukic?
Crocop:The team remains the same. I am very satisfied with them and we go forward.

I: Can you address something to the viewers? The match is about 3:30 in the morning, can you promise a fast win?
Crocop: I will not underestimate anyone, neither Eddie Sanchez. I expect a win, and we will see how the fight evolves. I expect fan support from the homeland and I think the support will be at the combat arena as well. I have received a lot of information from Croatian communities in America who have already confirmed their arrival in Las Vegas, thus there should be much more support in the stands than in Japan.


Translator's note: Crocop said about 5 times that he will not underestimate Eddie Sanchez, so dear Eddie, I fear for your health!

VIDEO: http://dnevnik.hr/naslovnica/vijesti...0735_29623.php
(Cro Cop rolls with Werdum in the video)

 

[onebigeric]

Above two posts were quite excellent CC I'm freaking out waiting for this Saturday. In between he, Rampage, and Lutter/Silva, it's going to be a better overall event than the UFC has seen in some time.

 

[CaptainCharisma]

funniest Anderson Silva moment ever:

its at the end he does a facial imitation of Chirs Leben

 

[onebigeric]

Awesome CC

Leben's attitude was total crap going into that fight, as it was going in against Jason MacDonald. Pattern?


Anderson Silva is a scary individual. I'm pulling for Lutter(more for his affiliation past or present with the Lion's Den), but he has more than his work cut out for him, some would say even to survive the first round. I'll be happy either way because Silva's the man, attitude and style-wise

 

[JS316]

yeah thanx CC.. the scarey thing is he's a BJJ Black Belt.. very complete fighter...
after watching this i dont know why im picking Lutter?!

 

[CaptainCharisma]

he is a BJJ black belt, but hes not as calm and collected on the ground, when he faces aggressive ground guys he loses, but Lutter's not really gonna push the pace on him so he may not have much trouble

 

[onebigeric]

He sure as crap pushed the pace on Cote, who was the favorite going into that fight. I believe Anderson will be able to defend well against any early takedowns, but you never know; Cote was suppossed to do that too.

 

[CaptainCharisma]

ill make my full predictions thread tommorow after i get the weigh in pics, i wanna make it FLASHY again

 

[onebigeric]

'Flash' away, CC

 

[CaptainCharisma]

i love how they have an interview with everyone, even Eddie Sanchez, but still not with Cro Cop, he's such an asshole to the media sometimes haha

 

[fistacuffs]

Yeah - CroCop is known for his inoperativeness's with the media!