Da Prophet
Mid-Card Championship Winner
So excited to see Cain wreck Travis Browne at UFC 200.
It's going to be wonderful.
It's going to be wonderful.
MMA in the Bar room!! *In memorium of JMT and TDigs' thread*
- Thread starter Mighty NorCal
- Start date
Let's dispel this notion that this was a massive jump for Connor. Nate Diaz is a lightweight. Connor has to endure one of the absolute worst cuts in this sports history in order to make 145. Connor originally fought at lightweight and dropped down to featherweight. This was a lightweight fight. The only reason it was at Welterweight is because Diaz only had 12 days to train. Connor was training and preparing for a lightweight fight. That 14 pounds he would have cut to get down to 155.
Let's also keep in mind Nate Diaz got off a boat in Cabo, had 12 days to train, and still had better cardio than Connor who had a full camp. Connor should have looked good, everything was in his favor. How more one sided can a fight be than pulling someone not training, out partying, getting them to fight 12 days later only to have them win the fight? Diaz wouldn't get touched with a full camp, Connor isn't good enough to hang with top tier lightweights who can match his size.
You can thank the rise of the casual fan for that. It's resulted in the UFC making more money than ever, and their booking growing less.... legitimate. There's always been a degree of "what sells" in the UFC (just look back to how long Tito Ortiz was protected from Chuck Liddel), but this McGregor thing has pushed it to ridiculous new heights.
I've been going out to the bars to catch the numbered PPV's for years, and the people who make up the group I go with has changed drastically over time. At first (probably around 60 or 70 or so?) it was two kinds of people, both male- people with some kind of martial arts background (and I'm including high school wrestling in that), and bros who loved seeing people get punched. For the most recent card, half of our group was female and most of them actually wanted to see "the fights", read, Holm/Tate and McGregor/Diaz. Half of the guys there thought a fighter must suck since he had a 25-9 record, and the guy he was facing was undefeated. The UFC's branched out into a crowd they were only dreaming about a few years ago, and the fights that they're making reflect that.
Which sucks for Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar; two of the best featherweights ever, who also have the curse of not being very marketable. One of the girls who was with us for the last card works for Reebok, and explained it to the group from a marketing perspective (and as professional wrestling fans, you'll appreciate this.) When the UFC has a champion that people are excited about, they and Reebok sell a shitload of related merchandise. When Holm knocked out Rousey, that head kick probably cost about $10 million between the two of them; when Tate choked out Holm, she probably breathed $2 million back in. If McGregor lost his next featherweight fight, he doesn't ever have the marketing power he once had, while his losing to Diaz twice wouldn't really damage him any more than him losing to Diaz once.
(Interesting story- this woman working for Reebok is part of a team of people which designs the shape but not the coloration of the women's uniforms. Miesha Tate's top came in for emergency alterations a couple of nights before the fight, because her fake breasts didn't fit properly and were diving out the sides. If you want to look at the fight for this reason, her sports bra is packing two layers of fabric.)
Mr. Rubio, I didn't realize you'd taken to MMA analysis after suspending your campaign
But I agree with what you're saying. My MMA know-how isn't as good as I'd like it to be - I'm just getting back into it after a long while after watching it more in high school a lot - so I'm not trying to state my thoughts as something I really stand by too strongly. But, I do think there's some legitimacy to the idea that while yes, it is closer to a natural weight for Conor and Diaz did have a short camp, a more normal, planned fight might do more for Conor. Diaz only had 12 days to prep for Conor, sure, but Conor must have been thrown off by prepping for a lightweight title fight and instead having a pretty different kind of fight with Diaz.
I guess maybe what I really mean to say is - I want to say the "real" fight with no excuses, at least a little. I don't necessarily want to see it to the exclusion of a 145 title fight - but I can see the appeal of Conor and Diaz with full camps for each, and just getting a chance to see what happens.
Da Prophet
Mid-Card Championship Winner
Jones may have been drag racing. He denies it, calls a cop a pig and a fucking liar.
Somebody should get this millionaire a driver.
Somebody should get this millionaire a driver.
Richard Blonoff
Make America Rassle Again
Seriously, with as many traffic incidents as he has been in, hire a damn driver already.
Also, Lady Cyborg making her debut finally.
Also, Lady Cyborg making her debut finally.
Da Prophet
Mid-Card Championship Winner
So this fight might not even happen since Jones got arrested. However this right here is the best promo I've seen in the UFC since Sonnen made the comment about a bus and a carrot. McGregor is good but half of the shit he says doesn't make sense.
This right here is better than any WWE promo. So fucking good!
"I will die to beat you on April 23rd." - DC
"Be prepared to do that." - Jones
[YOUTUBE]9XXtDUsJT8U[/YOUTUBE]
This right here is better than any WWE promo. So fucking good!
"I will die to beat you on April 23rd." - DC
"Be prepared to do that." - Jones
[YOUTUBE]9XXtDUsJT8U[/YOUTUBE]
Da Prophet
Mid-Card Championship Winner
Interim title belt while the champion of the division is fighting on the same fucking card!
Nate better win.
Nate better win.
Mighty NorCal
SHALL WE BEGIN?
If Nate wins again this the dumbest fucking thing ever.
probably happening
probably happening
This card realistically could have been, instead:
McGregor vs Aldo/Frankie at 145
Dos Anjos vs Diaz
Lawler vs Condit/Other contender
A triple title fight supercard that could have also featured a big featherweight contendership fight for whoever didn't fight Conor and the Velasquez/Brown fight. That feels like so much more of a supercard than this does. This just feels like UFC 196 again.
McGregor vs Aldo/Frankie at 145
Dos Anjos vs Diaz
Lawler vs Condit/Other contender
A triple title fight supercard that could have also featured a big featherweight contendership fight for whoever didn't fight Conor and the Velasquez/Brown fight. That feels like so much more of a supercard than this does. This just feels like UFC 196 again.
The only reason why UFC wants this is so Dana can put his dick back in Connors mouth and feel like a king again. Hopefully the same result happens but I doubt it.
Such a let down for #200. Could've easily had those 3 super title fights like NorCal suggested. The rematch makes it feel it's at 199 in a lead up to 200. Ah well if Diaz wins again I guess it's okay.
Such a let down for #200. Could've easily had those 3 super title fights like NorCal suggested. The rematch makes it feel it's at 199 in a lead up to 200. Ah well if Diaz wins again I guess it's okay.
On a brighter note Joe Lauzon vs Diego Sanchez will be awesome. Lauzon is one of my favourite fighters in the UFC and I will be surprised if this is anything but a full on war. Edgar vs Aldo will be good. I think Aldo captures the interim belt and then show the world what he can really do against Conor.
A11oftheLights
Getting Noticed By Management
Wouldnt it be the other way around and Dana is putting Connor's dick in his mouth?
Yeah I guess. Though my thought process today was Dana is going to keep Conor going at Diaz until he wins because they love each other . Once Conor "proves" to the world he is unbeatable when he is 'fully prepared' he will be the self proclaim King making Dana feel like a boss again. Definately sounded better in my head.
Da Prophet
Mid-Card Championship Winner
This is a horrible fight for McGregor. Diaz has proven he can stand and trade shots with McGregor and everyone knew already that Nate has an elite ground game. It's not looking good for McGregor. He's going 0-2 against Diaz.
A11oftheLights
Getting Noticed By Management
I tend to stay out of picking a winner when it comes to fights where you are definitely going to have two fighters looking for a finish. It only takes one strike to end it. It'll be interesting to see how McGregor react if he gets rocked again. When was the last time he was in trouble in a fight prior to Diaz? He shit himself against diaz and took it to the ground because he he didnt know what to do. If he gets rocked this time you have to believe that he definitely wont do that again and will be well prepared for it.
Following up on this, the only reasonable thing for Jones to do, of course, is go up 60 pounds and challenge Brock Lesnar to come out of retirement.
Massive! 197 was looking just as good as 196. Real shame.
Da Prophet
Mid-Card Championship Winner
Said he'd die to beat Jon and suddenly comes up with an injury.
DC is the worst.
DC is the worst.
Richard Blonoff
Make America Rassle Again
If we are going to call Cormier the worst, it has to be for this, not for pulling out of a fight.
[YOUTUBE]M0CfNA12aFw[/YOUTUBE]
[YOUTUBE]M0CfNA12aFw[/YOUTUBE]
Cormier looks like a real bitch when he said he'd let OSP train at AKA, and Cormier himself would pay for all of his expenses if he so wished. Why does he want OSP to win so badly? He said he'd die to beat Jones, but he wants someone else to beat him so he won't have to? Is he scared?
Da Prophet
Mid-Card Championship Winner
Jones is ripping DC on twitter.
Funniest stuff I've ever seen.
DC looking like a real twat.
Funniest stuff I've ever seen.
DC looking like a real twat.
