Comments on: UFC 80: Review and recap including thoughts on the telecast, breakdown of the fights, and more http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/21/ufc-80-review-and-recap-including-thoughts-on-the-telecast-breakdown-of-the-fights-and-more/ Your Destination for Insider MMA News and Opinion Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:37:14 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jay http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/21/ufc-80-review-and-recap-including-thoughts-on-the-telecast-breakdown-of-the-fights-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-12175 Jay Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:16:28 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/21/ufc-80-review-and-recap-including-thoughts-on-the-telecast-breakdown-of-the-fights-and-more/#comment-12175 regarding rogan's comment about babalu. babalu recently said something like "it's nice to be interviewed by a fighter and not by an asshole like joe rogan" when rator rob was interviewing him at the ring of fire event. i think joe might got ahold of that. regarding rogan’s comment about babalu. babalu recently said something like “it’s nice to be interviewed by a fighter and not by an asshole like joe rogan” when rator rob was interviewing him at the ring of fire event. i think joe might got ahold of that.

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]]> By: pr0cs http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/21/ufc-80-review-and-recap-including-thoughts-on-the-telecast-breakdown-of-the-fights-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-12174 pr0cs Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:03:53 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/21/ufc-80-review-and-recap-including-thoughts-on-the-telecast-breakdown-of-the-fights-and-more/#comment-12174 I'm not a big fan of Sherk's fighting style but I think everyone is either grossly overrating Penn or heavily underrating Sherk. I think if the fight goes past the 3rd round Penn will be in the deep waters where Sherk thrives and I expect Sherk to grind out a decision as he always does. I *really* hate the notion of Penn leaving the LW division to challenge GSP (assuming GSP can beat Serra). There are simply too many exciting fighters int he LW division that deserve a shot at the title before Penn can sucessfully say "I want to have 2 titles". Sherk Florian Griffin Edgar Huerta the list goes an easy year (in my opinion) worth of compelling matches. No fighter should be talking about "moving up/down" until there simply isn't anyone left. The only UFC fighter I could even see moving is Silva and that is assuming he can make it past Hendo. I’m not a big fan of Sherk’s fighting style but I think everyone is either grossly overrating Penn or heavily underrating Sherk.
I think if the fight goes past the 3rd round Penn will be in the deep waters where Sherk thrives and I expect Sherk to grind out a decision as he always does.

I *really* hate the notion of Penn leaving the LW division to challenge GSP (assuming GSP can beat Serra). There are simply too many exciting fighters int he LW division that deserve a shot at the title before Penn can sucessfully say “I want to have 2 titles”.
Sherk
Florian
Griffin
Edgar
Huerta
the list goes an easy year (in my opinion) worth of compelling matches.

No fighter should be talking about “moving up/down” until there simply isn’t anyone left.

The only UFC fighter I could even see moving is Silva and that is assuming he can make it past Hendo.

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]]> By: ufcfan http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/21/ufc-80-review-and-recap-including-thoughts-on-the-telecast-breakdown-of-the-fights-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-12159 ufcfan Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:03:41 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/21/ufc-80-review-and-recap-including-thoughts-on-the-telecast-breakdown-of-the-fights-and-more/#comment-12159 great wrap up as usual. - yes rogan and goldberg are capable of some weird statements from time to time but when i look at elite xc = bill goldberg it makes me feel a lot better - one thing i do love about rogan is his passion for the sport, he LOVES mma which makes it more exciting - penn vs sherk is gonna be so exciting for the bad blood alone, everyone always talks about penn's cardio but it really will be essential in this fight...we all know sherk's gameplan take him down, lay on the top, throw the occasional punch sherk doesn't finish fights as florian so eloquently pointed out back at ufc 73. bj penn has sick takedown defense and i am so impressed by his hands...he dropped stevenson three times in the fight...its penn's fight to lose - werdum should not be given a shot. but that's how weak the division is right now. sad... great wrap up as usual.

- yes rogan and goldberg are capable of some weird statements from time to time but when i look at elite xc = bill goldberg it makes me feel a lot better
- one thing i do love about rogan is his passion for the sport, he LOVES
mma which makes it more exciting

- penn vs sherk is gonna be so exciting for the bad blood alone,
everyone always talks about penn’s cardio but it really will be essential in this fight…we all know sherk’s gameplan take him down, lay on the top, throw the occasional punch

sherk doesn’t finish fights as florian so eloquently pointed out back at ufc 73. bj penn has sick takedown defense and i am so impressed by his hands…he dropped stevenson three times in the fight…its penn’s fight to lose

- werdum should not be given a shot. but that’s how weak the division is right now. sad…

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]]> By: Zack http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/21/ufc-80-review-and-recap-including-thoughts-on-the-telecast-breakdown-of-the-fights-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-12146 Zack Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:37:57 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/21/ufc-80-review-and-recap-including-thoughts-on-the-telecast-breakdown-of-the-fights-and-more/#comment-12146 Great write-up Sam. I agree with pretty much everything. Who is the bigger disappointment at this stage - Grove or Gonzaga? Grove - 6 months ago I thought Grove was on his way to becoming a dynamic MW who would contend in '09. I think the Cote fight was a matter of getting caught, but Rivera manhandled him. He needs to focus on getting stronger and add some mass to that lanky frame. I'm still a fan, but he needs to re-dedicate. Gonz - I think we saw his two flaws: his hands and his heart. For now (at least), he's a frontrunner who can't hang when he's challenged. His boxing looked really poor against Werdum, and without watching the fight again, I think Werdum set up the knees in the clinch by tagging Gonz on the chin several times - Gonz looked like he lost all his will to fight. Unlike some others, I think he looked pretty damn good against Randy until Randy put him against the cage and dirty boxed him. I hope he works on his non-kicking standup. I don't know how you develop the ability to overcome adversity. I don't think it was lack of cardio that got him - I think he lost his confidence once he lost the hands exchanges with Werdum. Great write-up Sam. I agree with pretty much everything.

Who is the bigger disappointment at this stage – Grove or Gonzaga?

Grove – 6 months ago I thought Grove was on his way to becoming a dynamic MW who would contend in ‘09. I think the Cote fight was a matter of getting caught, but Rivera manhandled him. He needs to focus on getting stronger and add some mass to that lanky frame. I’m still a fan, but he needs to re-dedicate.

Gonz – I think we saw his two flaws: his hands and his heart. For now (at least), he’s a frontrunner who can’t hang when he’s challenged. His boxing looked really poor against Werdum, and without watching the fight again, I think Werdum set up the knees in the clinch by tagging Gonz on the chin several times – Gonz looked like he lost all his will to fight. Unlike some others, I think he looked pretty damn good against Randy until Randy put him against the cage and dirty boxed him. I hope he works on his non-kicking standup. I don’t know how you develop the ability to overcome adversity. I don’t think it was lack of cardio that got him – I think he lost his confidence once he lost the hands exchanges with Werdum.

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]]> By: Donk http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/21/ufc-80-review-and-recap-including-thoughts-on-the-telecast-breakdown-of-the-fights-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-12143 Donk Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:30:20 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/21/ufc-80-review-and-recap-including-thoughts-on-the-telecast-breakdown-of-the-fights-and-more/#comment-12143 The UFC is definately a world beater when it comes to the strength of their brand and their stable of fighters. However from such a high position you would expect them to be well above average in many fundamental areas, but in my opinion they are consistently underwhelming in terms of their production, commentary and fighter advertising. As most good mma highlight makers will tell you it's great to work with footage from japan, the reason being is that the camera angles are spectacular and the production is absolutely top notch. But you just don't get good camera angles from the UFC's or a good show outside of the ring. The strength of a UFC show is just on the fights themselves. But if the UFC consistently fails to hype their fighters like they have done with Werdum in 80 and many others (they didn't even hype the Liddell Silva match well), they will have big names with no pulling power. How such a big business continues to be underwhelming outside the cage is a real mystery to me, they should be so much more with their resources, brand power and money. The UFC is definately a world beater when it comes to the strength of their brand and their stable of fighters. However from such a high position you would expect them to be well above average in many fundamental areas, but in my opinion they are consistently underwhelming in terms of their production, commentary and fighter advertising. As most good mma highlight makers will tell you it’s great to work with footage from japan, the reason being is that the camera angles are spectacular and the production is absolutely top notch. But you just don’t get good camera angles from the UFC’s or a good show outside of the ring. The strength of a UFC show is just on the fights themselves. But if the UFC consistently fails to hype their fighters like they have done with Werdum in 80 and many others (they didn’t even hype the Liddell Silva match well), they will have big names with no pulling power. How such a big business continues to be underwhelming outside the cage is a real mystery to me, they should be so much more with their resources, brand power and money.

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]]> By: Sam Caplan http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/21/ufc-80-review-and-recap-including-thoughts-on-the-telecast-breakdown-of-the-fights-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-12137 Sam Caplan Mon, 21 Jan 2008 14:00:19 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/21/ufc-80-review-and-recap-including-thoughts-on-the-telecast-breakdown-of-the-fights-and-more/#comment-12137 Gabber, you're wrong. Merriman's absence was discussed openly on many sports telecasts that I watched. When he returned to the lineup it was addressed why he was out. The announcers specifically talked about his testing positive. Now, I can't account for every single telecast in which Merriman's name was brought up, but they didn't talk about the reason for his absence in vague terms upon his return, which is what they did for Sherk. I specifically remember an interview that Merriman did on ESPNews and he was asked about the positive test point blank. Gabber, you’re wrong. Merriman’s absence was discussed openly on many sports telecasts that I watched. When he returned to the lineup it was addressed why he was out. The announcers specifically talked about his testing positive. Now, I can’t account for every single telecast in which Merriman’s name was brought up, but they didn’t talk about the reason for his absence in vague terms upon his return, which is what they did for Sherk.

I specifically remember an interview that Merriman did on ESPNews and he was asked about the positive test point blank.

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]]> By: Gabber http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/21/ufc-80-review-and-recap-including-thoughts-on-the-telecast-breakdown-of-the-fights-and-more/comment-page-1/#comment-12134 Gabber Mon, 21 Jan 2008 13:56:13 +0000 http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2008/01/21/ufc-80-review-and-recap-including-thoughts-on-the-telecast-breakdown-of-the-fights-and-more/#comment-12134 Sam, You're way off base with the "NFL, NBA, MLB wouldn't do this..." arguement. I remember last year, heading into the playoffs, people were going crazy with SD heading into the playoffs. 14-2, the biggest contributing factor was apparently Shawn Merriman. I even remember ESPN talking about how impressive his season would have been if he would have been able to play a whole year, but man, he had 12 sacks is 12 games!! Yeah, cause he was suspended for performance enhancing substances. They never mentioned that the whole time, but I have to agree that it was much of the same from UFC 80 with the Sherk situation. I can't believe all the people are capable of ignoring the giant pink elephant in the room.... Sam,

You’re way off base with the “NFL, NBA, MLB wouldn’t do this…” arguement. I remember last year, heading into the playoffs, people were going crazy with SD heading into the playoffs. 14-2, the biggest contributing factor was apparently Shawn Merriman. I even remember ESPN talking about how impressive his season would have been if he would have been able to play a whole year, but man, he had 12 sacks is 12 games!!

Yeah, cause he was suspended for performance enhancing substances. They never mentioned that the whole time, but I have to agree that it was much of the same from UFC 80 with the Sherk situation.

I can’t believe all the people are capable of ignoring the giant pink elephant in the room….

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