Official MMA News/Discussion Thread

[Kanav]

^ tru say, if he hadnt decided to fight way out of weight class all the time....but thats what makes BJ a fuckin warrior...he'll never be afraid to fight anyone

Agreed. Penn is the fucking man. I still want to see penn vs. gsp 2, and definitly penn vs. hughes 3. Hughes because BJ was DOMINATING that second fight and hughes came back from no where and put him in the weirdest position ive ever seen. Even as I was watching it, I couldnt imagine what penn could do to break out, cuz he was literally sealed. Props to hughes for that tho, damn impressive.

Seeing penn take out pulver was alot like gsp taking out hughes. Complete and utter domination.

 

[JS316]

Agreed. Penn is the fucking man. I still want to see penn vs. gsp 2, and definitly penn vs. hughes 3. Hughes because BJ was DOMINATING that second fight and hughes came back from no where and put him in the weirdest position ive ever seen. Even as I was watching it, I couldnt imagine what penn could do to break out, cuz he was literally sealed. Props to hughes for that tho, damn impressive.

Seeing penn take out pulver was alot like gsp taking out hughes. Complete and utter domination.

Agreed..when he's in shape he's the man.. add to your list BJ vs Gomi.. another good fight

 

[onebigeric]

Penn is a gifted fighter with an amazing lack of discipline. He's 2-3 in his last five fights, and that lack of focus has been the primary reason for that.

In his second fight with Hughes, he really wasn't 'dominating' per se. His tank looked better and he was looking good on the ground, but he was steadily losing the standup to Hughes. His sub attempt at the end of the second looked nasty but Hughes has a history of getting caught in similar positions late in the round and riding them out, ergo the attempt was just that (the fact that Rush beat him in this exact position was iciing on the cake for me)

Penn came out gassed in the third, and Hughes used the crucifix like clockwork just as he has a number of times in the past. Carlos Newton was in the same awful position but he had the presence of mind to get out....and then he was knocked out with Matt's insane powerbomb The fact that Penn tried to cop a fake 'broken rib' excuse only intensified BJ's overall lame rating; he was cocky and he gassed, but he'll never admit to something like that.

BJ goes into every fight overconfident and well-fed on his own hype, and it costs him. I favor Stevenson in their upcoming bout based on nothing more than his experience, consistency, and overall work ethic. If BJ doesn't pull his head out of his own butt (along with Rogan's) he'll roll into an embarrassing 2-4.

In all honesty I feel he's around the last person who deserves a shot at the newly vacant 155-lb belt as is. You could argue that the division isn't very deep, but that's simply not true. Beating a severly washed-up Jens Pulver[who's looking sharp again in WEC] doesn't qualify you for the potential duke in a division you haven't competed in for six years or so. I see Joe Lauzon, who actually played and beat Jens at his own game (if beating the former LW champ is a qualifier for a title shot, which is what the BJ 'huggers would have you believe), as being more deserving of facing Stevenson at this time. There is a locker room full of workers that deserve this shot much more than Penn does.

Situations like these are echoes of Frank Shamrock's wise observation in that Dana and the UFC are interested in pushing the marketable fighters, not the deserving ones. Lame, as money is laughably not an issue where the org is concerned

This, of course, is just my opinion.

 

[JS316]

Nice post.. definitely valid points OBE. You opened my eyes on a few things as I am a big BJ fan. I really like him as his JJ is so slick when he is motivated. I really would like to see him fight GSP with both guys coming in at their best and having 5 rounds.

I have to disagree with you though... i feel BJ does deserve a shot regardless of his recent loses. He lost to 2 high quality guys that would destroy any other LW guys fighting up a weight class. Also, Stevenson v Penn , IMO makes for an exciting match stylistically.
Better than Werdum vs Gonzaga, as even though they've apparently fought before, I think will bore the shit out of me.

 

[Gumby51cm]

I dont like Penn simply because of how he disrespected Jens after their fight. Jens had only nice things to say after losing, BJ just plugs his site ad leaves. Pure disrespect to his competitors.

However good of a fighter BJ is doesnt justify how he acts.

 

[JS316]

I dont like Penn simply because of how he disrespected Jens after their fight. Jens had only nice things to say after losing, BJ just plugs his site ad leaves. Pure disrespect to his competitors.

However good of a fighter BJ is doesnt justify how he acts.

He gave some props to Pulver..maybe not as much as Jens gave him. But he welcomed Jens to come and train with him..

Admittedly he comes across very confident.

 

[onebigeric]

^^I remember Pulver going off the chain with compliments, and then BJ just plugged his website and ran away....which he didn't update for awhile. I know Penn is a serious space cadet, but that was very dick-ish in my book.

I hear you on Gonzaga and Werdum, JS; here's to hoping that it exceeds our mutually low expectations. Just remembering what Wer did when Arlovski wouldn't play his game makes me shudder with dread.


My only problem with BJ's title shot is that he hasn't had to climb the ladder at all. He only done that twice-ish in the UFC, and it was nearly five years ago. Since then he's been spoon-fed high profile fights and instant title shots, starting with his first bout against Hughes in early 2004. BJ may be a great fighter, but I don't feel that qualifies him for easy street when others have to work.

BJ has one fight in the LW division in the last six years; that's truly what makes me feel that he doesn't deserve this bout. Rich Franklin wouldn't get an instant shot if he moved back to LHW, just as Hughes wouldn't if he moved to MW; BJ does though I know it will be exciting, but as a competitor and a fan that's just not enough for me.

I probably read too much into this

 

[Kanav]

^^I remember Pulver going off the chain with compliments, and then BJ just plugged his website and ran away....which he didn't update for awhile. I know Penn is a serious space cadet, but that was very dick-ish in my book.

I hear you on Gonzaga and Werdum, JS; here's to hoping that it exceeds our mutually low expectations. Just remembering what Wer did when Arlovski wouldn't play his game makes me shudder with dread.


My only problem with BJ's title shot is that he hasn't had to climb the ladder at all. He only done that twice-ish in the UFC, and it was nearly five years ago. Since then he's been spoon-fed high profile fights and instant title shots, starting with his first bout against Hughes in early 2004. BJ may be a great fighter, but I don't feel that qualifies him for easy street when others have to work.

BJ has one fight in the LW division in the last six years; that's truly what makes me feel that he doesn't deserve this bout. Rich Franklin wouldn't get an instant shot if he moved back to LHW, just as Hughes wouldn't if he moved to MW; BJ does though I know it will be exciting, but as a competitor and a fan that's just not enough for me.

I probably read too much into this

He was fighting to be the number 1 contender tho, not the belt. Sherk fucked up there. Plus you have to realize the lightweight division is nowhere as deep as the light heavy weights in the ufc.

Yes he acts like a dick, and yeah I thought what he did to pulver was a little bit disrespectful, but at the end of the day, his fights are entertaining, and thats really all I care to watch.

 

[CaptainCharisma]

anyone have any doubts left that BJ deserved a shot?

 

[onebigeric]

I never doubted his real ability to fight Stevenson and potentially beat him; I just don't see BJ as having worked enough in the LW division to get a shot/#1 contender bout so quickly.

That being said, the fight was awesome. Joe showed an immense amount of determination coming out like he did in the second, and that elbow from the bottom was slick. BJ was seriously focused and if he can keep this he'll have the strap for a good while.

I was surprised with Lambert's loss, and not so much with Gonzaga's. Marcus Davis should be near title contention by now (shut up Karo). Overall it was a decent event, but it still felt lacking.

 

[JS316]

^^I agree... the event was lacking another good fight... Werdum surprised me with his stand up.

If BJ can beat Sherk who's next in line? There is alot of LW talent but they are not quite up to Title contention yet. Surely they wont throw Huerta in there unless he's fighting Sherk.

Guida,Aoki,Sakurai,Gomi,Davis,Lauzon (and that dude Manny..Karo's cousin..and even Danzig).would be interesting fights with Sherk... but I doubt they'd pose BJ many problems as none of them would be as good as Joe Stevenson. (I know its the styles that make the matches... meh, discuss.)

 

[CaptainCharisma]

joe rogan said the ufc has resumed talks with Norifumi Yamamoto, Takanori Gomi and Hayato Sakurai...so if any of them come through, theres an opponent right there

 

[JS316]

joe rogan said the ufc has resumed talks with Norifumi Yamamoto, Takanori Gomi and Hayato Sakurai...so if any of them come through, theres an opponent right there

Kid Yamamoto is the one guy there that I would love to see especially! He's even lighter than LW though isn't he? Might be too small, but he is definately a contender to BJ.

 

[CaptainCharisma]

hes a featherweight (145) but he usually fights guys at 155 too, so that shouldn't me an issue

 

[CaptainCharisma]

liddell vs shogun is gonna be in june

 

[JS316]

^^ awesome! Finally some updates CC...

 

[JS316]

dont know why this pic is so small...

just wanted t show the blood squirting out of Joes head when BJ sunk in the choke.. look closely

 

[CaptainCharisma]

sherdog.com confirms liddell/shogun....go liddell!

 

[Kanav]

go shogun

although i think lidell is probably gonna take this. Plays right into his comeback story

 

[JS316]

go shogun

although i think lidell is probably gonna take this. Plays right into his comeback story

go shogun! please.... pride needs you!