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[Minotauro]

I dunno man Fujita got him all fish-leggy with that punch. Too bad Fujita was as shocked as anyone that he did and he didn't do shit to follow it up.

Boogie pretty much covered this but I really think that fight was further evidence of his ability to stay calm. I mean, he was definitely rocked but he didn't lose his shit. He was able to clinch with Fujita while he regained his senses and pulled out the w.

Did anyone watching that Hardcore Knockouts show Pride ran tonight? It was a pretty great compilation overall. I'd seen most of the fights but getting to see the Fedor fights I hadn't seen yet was definitely worth the two hours invested.

I, too, am excited about the NYE show. Aside from the ones Boogie already mentioned, I think the Gardner/Yoshida fight is really, really interesting. On one hand, you have Yoshida who aside from being a world class judo guy is also more experienced in MMA. Then, you have Gardner who is significantly bigger, a world class wrestler, and has recently been training with Team Quest (which lead to Hendo saying he could be Pride HW champ within a year). It's really a fight that could go either way.

As far as Cro-Cop/Randleman 2, I really don't see Randleman taking this one. Randleman can be fantastic when in the right frame of mind but Cro-Cop knows he has something to prove. Randleman is really the only man standing between him and a title fight after Nogueira and Fedor finally settle their score. I really don't see him getting caught twice.

 

[AstroLad]

If Randleman wins again, everyone will shit their pants... again. That fight exemplified "you never know" b/c every goddamn self-proclaimed expert would have bet their houses on Mirko.

 

[Biff Hardbody]

If Randleman wins again, everyone will shit their pants... again. That fight exemplified "you never know" b/c every goddamn self-proclaimed expert would have bet their houses on Mirko.

I remember reading a thread on Ironlife.com about who would win in that fight. It had 70 something replies, and I can only remember ONE guy picking Randleman. His reasoning was Mirko would not be able to handle someone as explosive as Randleman. Everybody thought he was nuts. So did I, I picked Mirko to win the GP that time.

 

[NLB2]

And yes, I want to see Royce VS Akebono solely because Royce said he will CLINCH with Akebono.

Better to clinch than to shoot.
Royce by flying armbar.

 

[Biff Hardbody]

Akebono by sumo slap.

 

[NLB2]

Akebono by sumo slap.

:lol
I was being serious though. He's not gonna be able to take the best sumo to the ground and he's not gonna try to strike him, he's far too one dimensional, and there's no way in hell he's gonna pull guard against Akebono. So all that's left are standing submissions.

 

[Biff Hardbody]

:lol
I was being serious though. He's not gonna be able to take the best sumo to the ground and he's not gonna try to strike him, he's far too one dimensional, and there's no way in hell he's gonna pull guard against Akebono. So all that's left are standing submissions.

This is sort of off tangent, but I really respect the art of sumo. The men who do it are incredibly tough. Men their size doing full splits, the blows they inflict on eachotehr in their matches. Its like watching two bull elephants go at it. I know Sumo has had a poor showing in MMA, but I think that a good, in his prime sumo would be a scary guy to fight.

About the Royce/Akebono fight. Akebono was once a great, but now he's really broken down. I didn't see his fight with Remy, but I remember reading he took some hard shots and lasted a couple rounds. So, he's still tough and push himself a bit. Royce is no K-1 striker, he's not a striker period. He actually has to guard himself from being hit hard by Akebono, whos Sumo slap probably hurts a good deal.

Seriously though, I'm interested because I want to see what Royce does in the clinch. I agree, shooting isn't smart since Akebono is a mountain and can just pancake him. But, clinching with Akebono is a scary thing for a man Royces size. I've never though of Royce as a master of the clinch either, I actually think Akebono will be better in it technique wise. What will Royce do there? Can he pull a flying armbar out and isolate the big mans arm without Akebono banzai dropping him? I just don't see it.

Even though I don't know how it happens, I see Royce getting Akebono down to the ground and slapping on a rear naked. If Akebono wins this, I'll fucking laugh like hell. Even though he's broken down, his balance could still be surprisingly good, but I have the feeling we'll see Akebono do the big whale routine of falling down somehow and not being able to get back up, then Royce will captalize.

...I can't believe I wrote all that shit on an Akebono/Royce matchup.

 

[AstroLad]

...I can't believe I wrote all that shit on an Akebono/Royce matchup.

Next, I want an analysis of Genki v. Butterbean

 

[Biff Hardbody]

Even Plutarch, Howard Cosell, and Hemmingway combined into some sort of uber-writer/sports guy couldn't give that monumental event the credit it deserves with the written word.

 

[Boogie]

:lol @ Biff.