Comments on: Dolan: A New Nightmare

By: Jstew3785

Jstew3785 — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:03:31 +0000

Joe Stevenson has looked awful in his last 4 fights. Everyone made such a big deal about Diego Sanchez fighting him, like he was one of the elite fighters at 155. That being said, Diego did not impress me at all. He couldn’t even put Joe away, and he hit him with everything he had. He clearly won the fight, but not in impressive fashion. Josh Neer looked pretty good in his last fight, I think that would be a good matchup for Diego. Someone who could match him size and strength. I really don’t think Diego is a contender at 155 just yet. He needs a couple more quality wins before he even thinks about a title shot. What he did at 170 or at 185 on TUF means nothing right now.

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By: PlagueAngel

PlagueAngel — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 05:26:30 +0000

I didn’t think Diego looked special at all at 155. If he expects to get fights with Sherk and Florian, he will need a few impressive victories. It pisses me off that Sherk has to prove himself to claim his title shot. We all know Florian is afraid of a rematch with Sherk. Now people are calling a fight with Diego and Sherk. I think Sherk is at a higher class.

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By: Angry Mike

Angry Mike — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:08:04 +0000

Diego’s drop to 155 and game plan against Stevenson makes sense because of his height and reach advantages. Stevenson gave up 4″ in height, so Diego was able to keep him at the end of his strikes. Why go to the ground with advantages like that? Eventually Diego will run into another lightweight with good striking and comparable height and reach, like Neer, Florian, Maynard or Penn, and then I’d expect him to shoot and ground and pound. Fights with those guys will also be a benchmark for Diego’s striking and power.

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By: perfecto

perfecto — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 04:19:49 +0000

I agree stick with what you know best. Yeah we all like to see a nice knock out but not at the expence of a slow fight. Koscheck was a good example of what happens when you try to strike instead of just doing what you do best. Maybe Diego felt this would be a good fight to try stand up because he felt he was better and had no worries of being taken down but damn he might have beat him in the early rounds if he took Joe down. Although Deigo just beat a guy that fought for the belt that guy got destroyed so Joe isnt all that great I think Deigo needs a few more fights before championship talk.

Damn Koscheck was mad huh lol.

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By: wardog

wardog — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 03:03:35 +0000

Diego showed no power at 155! His strikes were being laughed at by Stevenson who is not a good striker at all. Diego hit him with shots that should have knocked him out, and Stevenson laughed them off. Did he laugh during the Penn or Florian fights? If he does that in a fight with Sherk or Guida, I see Sanchez getting KO’d!

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By: Jak

Jak — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:28:16 +0000

Stevenson fought for the belt because there wasn’t anybody else at the time and got crushed in the fight. Than got crushed by Florian the next time he fought a top LW.

Mid tier fighter. definitely.

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By: Rich S.

Rich S. — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 22:54:33 +0000

omg,
Stevenson is not a “mid tier” fighter.. He fought for the damn belt last year..

and as for the old Nightmare,
he’s too caught up in his striking to be the “old Nightmare”..

The old Nightmare would pick you up, drop you on your head, and then proceed to do WHATEVER HE WANTS WITH YOU..

this, “new” Nightmare, will strike with you, lacking any actual KO power, and likely get a decision..

I wish these guys could be persuaded, but they can’t.. they just think they HAVE to strike..

If I was the JJ beast that Diego is, i’d go straight to the ground in every fight..

I mean, we’re talking about someone who simply OUTCLASSED Karo Parisyan AND Nick Diaz.. both on the ground..

With that said,
I think it’s clear that if he wanted to go to the ground,
Diego could get some first round finishes on MOST of the LW division..

He’s just got to want to..
and right now..
he doesn’t..

I’m telling you,
this striking fixation is going to get him knocked out sooner or later..

no one’s safe from a knockout..
just when you’re starting to think they are, that’s when it happens..

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By: Jak

Jak — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:39:06 +0000

I think there is still a lot of questions…. He out pointed a mid tier fighter who’s not known for having great stand up in Joe Stevenson. I think the fact he didn’t finish him or ever put him in any kind of trouble should raise a lot of questions.

The first one being… What happened to the old “Nightmare?”

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By: screwface

screwface — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:13:32 +0000

im a nightmare fan, but he honestly didnt impress me too much in this fight. there was nothing ‘nightmare’ about his domination over joe. maybe its because they both respected each others ground game thinking each would nullify the other. so im willing to reserve true judgement till his next fight. but i disgaree with your prasie of guida. lately the new guida has pulled off wins but they havent been too pretty, theyve been a sylviaesque standing lay and pray which may have pulled off the win, but bored me silly. diego fought and beat nick, id like to see how he handles nate diaz. but i miss the old diego that truly made opponents think he was a nightmare by the time the fight is over. id like to see him more agressive and dominating for his next 1.

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By: Stan

Stan — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:12:55 +0000

With Sherk and Florian tied up with their next fights, Guida does make pretty decent sense for Sanchez’s next fight. My money is on his next fight being Tyson Griffin though. Griffin seems like a perfect buildup fight for a guy they are grooming for a title shot after Penn/Florian.

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By: Rich S.

Rich S. — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:40:44 +0000

wrong,
Stevenson looked terrible in the FIRST ROUND..
He started a comeback late in the 2nd, and by the 3rd, he had completely nullified Diego’s striking..

Diego’s striking is good, but his ground work is unbelievable..
The best fights of his career were won because of his amazing JJ and wrestling..

He’s another one of those tragic cases (like Frank Shamrock, or Nick Diaz)..
He doesn’t even want to take it to the ground any more..
Now, it actually works for Shammy and Diaz.. and Diego apparently..
But, i think we all know, that fight could’ve ended A LOT quicker had he just taken him to the ground..

I know you’re thinking, “well, the striking is getting him wins”..
but look at Kos..
the striking’s getting him wins too..
but rather than taking Paulo down and pounding him out, he got knocked out in the 1st, because of his new striker mentality..

I just really wish some of these guys could get past the ego part (or the thought that they HAVE to strike) and just do what they do best, whatever it may be.. and in Diego’s case, i feel that it’s JJ..

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By: Ft. Dub

Ft. Dub — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:19:21 +0000

Stevenson looked terrible in that fight. Diego looked good, but considering how basic and predictable Joe was fighting, it’s hard to gauge how well Diego would do against the division’s elite. Sherk would be the next logical opponent, with the winner to get the next title shot.

I don’t usually buy too much into the pre-fight talk, but Diego was right when he said that Joe hadn’t evolved. No angles, no kicks, just left – right punches plodding forward. Joe better watch out or he’ll be stuck in gatekeeper status.

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