UFC 75

[Swarm]

I admit it. I fell asleep in my bed during the Main Event. Bisbing lost by miles yet got the decision? Whatever. When he did my gf turned to me and says "That's bullsh*t. It makes me not want to watch this anymore." Good job UFC - is that the impression you want to give your casual viewers?

One really good fight on the card (where dude came back won w tap out when it could have been stopped) and Mirko looks like crap again.

Kind of a boring show for me.

[Darth Turkish]

I thought it was a good show. The title fight was 26 minutes of mostly back and forth action - you do not get that often.

I like Marcus Davis, and am glad he won. Sweet arm bar and sweet victory. Interesting to note that one of my fellow teachers, who was watching theis live for the first time, grew up with Marcus Daris. They were good friends growing up, but he had not talked with Marcus in 15 years. That was pretty cool. My friend said that Davis used to just pound the shit outta people during Little League games. Funny stuff.

Looks like Alexander is going to make some waves. Good- another credible contender for 205. They should bring in Sokodjou to fight him.

As for Hamil and Bisping, I dislike Hamil, so I was okay with Bisping winning. I will say that I thought Hamil was more aggressive in the fight on a whole, landed more effective strikes, and obviously had better takedowns. Often, while on the ground, though, Hamil was not attacking, or he was changing positions, but Bisping kept throwing punches. I think Bisping got more points for these situations. But yeah, Bisping probably should have lost. Bisping could, and probably should, drop to 185 where he could probably get a title shot in two months, thanks to the thin division.

And if the Henderso/ Rampage 25 minute war did not make up for the Bisping.- Hamil bocthed decision to the casual fan, those are casual fans that MMA does not need.

[Cosmic Crippler]

turkish said:

I thought it was a good show. The title fight was 26 minutes of mostly back and forth action - you do not get that often.

I like Marcus Davis, and am glad he won. Sweet arm bar and sweet victory. Interesting to note that one of my fellow teachers, who was watching theis live for the first time, grew up with Marcus Daris. They were good friends growing up, but he had not talked with Marcus in 15 years. That was pretty cool. My friend said that Davis used to just pound the shoot outta people during Little League games. Funny stuff.

Looks like Alexander is going to make some waves. Good- another credible contender for 205. They should bring in Sokodjou to fight him.

As for Hamil and Bisping, I dislike Hamil, so I was okay with Bisping winning. I will say that I thought Hamil was more aggressive in the fight on a whole, landed more effective strikes, and obviously had better takedowns. Often, while on the ground, though, Hamil was not attacking, or he was changing positions, but Bisping kept throwing punches. I think Bisping got more points for these situations. But yeah, Bisping probably should have lost. Bisping could, and probably should, drop to 185 where he could probably get a title shot in two months, thanks to the thin division.

And if the Henderso/ Rampage 25 minute war did not make up for the Bisping.- Hamil bocthed decision to the casual fan, those are casual fans that MMA does not need.

Im with you on all points dart...umm turkish pants. The Rampage and Henderson fight was awesome. Both of them looked awesome. I almost didnt know who to cheer for.

Im really bummed about Mirco. Im probably just sticking up for him but maybe Congo's style was just all wrong for him. Props to Congo though. I thought this was a sure win for Cro Cop (just like I thought Gonzaga was).

Though Im not judge I felt Hammil beat Bisiping. Like Darth Turkish said, he landed the more effective striking and took Bisping down several times. Though Bisiping mounted a comeback in the 3rd I didnt think it was enough to win the fight. I was really impressed with Bisbings heart though. He was getting hammered but didnt falter at all. He just shook it off and and came back in,

Davis and Markus speak for themselves. WOW.

Great card. AND for free. I am definetly a Danan White fan right now.

[dukedave]

curlig76 said:

Davis and Markus speak for themselves. WOW.

Marcus and Davis would be the same person.

[Cosmic Crippler]

dukedave said:

curlig76 said:

Davis and Markus speak for themselves. WOW.

Marcus and Davis would be the same person.

whoops. meant alexander. thanks for bein on top of that havoc. i can rest easy now.

[gatekeeper]

Not a very entertaining card.

Houston Alexander is freakin' amazing! This guy might be the most exciting guy in the UFC. I know he only has 2 fights, but they were both awesome and he's got great power.

The Bisping match's decision shocked me. I don't see how they think he won. I really like Bisping but I thought Hamill clearly won the fight.

The Congo match was pretty good. Cro Cop is not adjusting to the octagon very well.

The main event was not that good IMO. I like both guys and was glad that Rampage won but I thought there would be more action.

I think they were afraid of making a mistake and getting put out quick. Fair enough but it just made for a slow paced kind of boring match.

It was like those heavyweight boxing matches where the guys hold and clinch most of the match.

Glad we didn't have to pay to see this one.

[Darth Turkish]

gatekeeper said:

The main event was not that good IMO. I like both guys and was glad that Rampage won but I thought there would be more action.

I think they were afraid of making a mistake and getting put out quick. Fair enough but it just made for a slow paced kind of boring match

Wow. We must have been watching a totally different fight

Not wanting to go out quick?

Rampage and Henderson, who are freinds, barely did a "touch of gloves" after the "Let's Get It On" before Rampage began swinging. Henderson turned it around and began unload. Very very fact paced fight first round.

What was not to like? Flip- flopping action, guys trading leather, takedowns, submission attempts- this was a damn good fight. Not the greatest fight, but very competitive and certainly not "boring" by any standard.

This is not prowrestling. Not everything is highspots in MMA.

[vansabu]

turkish said:

gatekeeper said:

The main event was not that good IMO. I like both guys and was glad that Rampage won but I thought there would be more action.

I think they were afraid of making a mistake and getting put out quick. Fair enough but it just made for a slow paced kind of boring match

Wow. We must have been watching a totally different fight

Not wanting to go out quick?

Rampage and Henderson, who are freinds, barely did a "touch of gloves" after the "Let's Get It On" before Rampage began swinging. Henderson turned it around and began unload. Very very fact paced fight first round.

What was not to like? Flip- flopping action, guys trading leather, takedowns, submission attempts- this was a damn good fight. Not the greatest fight, but very competitive and certainly not "boring" by any standard.

This is not prowrestling. Not everything is highspots in MMA.

Agreed Dark Pants. This was a great card from top to bottom with an awesome Main Event !!! Tons of back and forth action from both guys. I guess the casual fan might not like the action of MMA as it differs from pro wrestling or whatever, but these fighters are a different breed !

Very good show all around.

[Knapik]

I had to work, bummed I missed it. Heard it was another solid card!

[Joe]

turkish said:

gatekeeper said:

The main event was not that good IMO. I like both guys and was glad that Rampage won but I thought there would be more action.

I think they were afraid of making a mistake and getting put out quick. Fair enough but it just made for a slow paced kind of boring match

Wow. We must have been watching a totally different fight

Not wanting to go out quick?

Rampage and Henderson, who are freinds, barely did a "touch of gloves" after the "Let's Get It On" before Rampage began swinging. Henderson turned it around and began unload. Very very fact paced fight first round.

What was not to like? Flip- flopping action, guys trading leather, takedowns, submission attempts- this was a damn good fight. Not the greatest fight, but very competitive and certainly not "boring" by any standard.

This is not prowrestling. Not everything is highspots in MMA.

I watched the show last night, and I actually watch UFC pretty frequently so I feel I am educated enough to make the statement I'm about to make.

UFC's popularity has been achieved based solely on its promotional machine.

Last night's Jackson-Henderson fight should do very little to boost the popularity of the sport, just like the De La Hoya-Mayweather fight did little to resurrect boxing.

Anyone who has been turned away from boxing because of boring fights and slow-pacing and has only seen TUF and knock-out highlights of UFC fights who tuned in last night will probably be turned away from UFC.

While it is understandable how hardcore MMA fans may have enjoyed the Jackson-Henderson fight, I will be dumbfounded if I hear anyone tell me they now prefer UFC to boxing based of what was supposed to be the UFC's biggest night. After all, there was plenty of clinched up laying on one another in the main event, and even though that is part of wrestling, it still equates the same to a casual fan who sees two heavyweight boxers hugging for 12 rounds.

Last night was supposed to be the definition of why UFC is superior to boxing. They took the two best light heavyweights in the world, put them in the ring and showed it on free TV, something boxing has not done in a quarter-century. The result: Two guys spending the majority of 25 minutes laying on the ground in a clinch.

For some reason, it is hard to believe the night turned out the way Dana White envisioned.

[Cosmic Crippler]

Wow. I cant believe anyone would think the Hendo/ Rampage fight was boring. Even when it went to the ground they both were battling for control. In my eyes there wasnt ever any stall in the action. Those guys battled bell to bell.

[vansabu]

There was action from start to end. The Henderson / Rampage fight blew anything in boxing in the past few years out of the water (including De La Hoya /Mayweather fight) if there is a such thing as comparing the different arts. Hey, Thats my opinion, and it may be wrong.

But your opinion is your opinion and I respect that.

[Darth Turkish]

I dunno, fellas, I watched this card with several 'casual fans" and they all enjoyed that last fight thoroughly. Best fight of the card was their opinion.

Although no one brought up that this was more exciting than boxing in this thread, nor brought up that it was a sucessor to boxing, currently the UFC is doing what boxing is not. It is setting PPV records. Putting champions together to fight. Making good matches, with few, if any, "dead weight" matches. Quinton Jackson's first title defense last night was not against an easy opponent by any means.- on paper and in reality it was a good fight.

And, to be clear, the UFC is more exciting than boxing in that matches are open and can be won by kicks, knees, submissions and slams or throws, as opposed to be merely won on punches. Plus how many KOs do you see on your average card in boxing? There was a UFC card, I want to say 73 or 72 where four of the televised six fights were KOs or TKOs. Even the causal fan likes KOs.

If last night drove people away, then I say fine, get the hell out of here. These are real fights, people. Fighters are gonna enter with a gameplan, and once they get hit, it is going to change what is going on. Not every fighter is of the same mindset. You have some fighters, like Karo Parysian and Chris Leben, who will keep coming at you regardless of what is going on. Others like Cro Cop will try to change strategy. There is no gaurantee that you are going to see the fight of the century each time a match comes on. Fights are not scrpited (at least in the UFC). Match makers can only do so much. Whether to your approval or not, Henderson and Rampage went out there and fought, and fought hard. And kept a pretty good pace for almost 1 half hour. Even in the clinch, they were not really resting.

The American audience is very fickle. This is the new hot spot right now. Remember 10 years ago when prowrestling was "Can't Miss TV"? That eventually faded. Perhaps the UFC will too fade, who knows. Right now it's not going anywhere.

If you were among those bored by last night's show, then do not tune in next time. It is really that simple. You are all certainly entitled to your opinion, but, to be honest, you just don't "get it" if you called the 'Page- Hendo fight "boring" or "lackluster" or any similar adjective. You're not alone, though, if you do not get MMA: I have also encountered many TMA that are not sold on MMA, either.

Again, 'Page- Hendo was not the greatest fight ever, but was not boring. People need to realize you are not always going to get a Bonnar- Griffen I or a Parysian- Sanchez fight every time.

Prowrestling can ensure good fights, MMA cannot.

[MikeMcKinney]

I like Bisping, but he LOST THAT FIGHT!!!!! Hamill fought his ass off and it sucks that he didn't get the win just because it was on Bisping's home turf...Bisping's comments after the fight took him down a couple notches in my book. Hope Hamill gets a rematch and whips his ass AGAIN! Dana White should fire the judges that did that fight.

[Joe]

turkish said:

I dunno, fellas, I watched this card with several 'casual fans" and they all enjoyed that last fight thoroughly. Best fight of the card was their opinion.

Although no one brought up that this was more exciting than boxing in this thread, nor brought up that it was a sucessor to boxing, currently the UFC is doing what boxing is not. It is setting PPV records. Putting champions together to fight. Making good matches, with few, if any, "dead weight" matches. Quinton Jackson's first title defense last night was not against an easy opponent by any means.- on paper and in reality it was a good fight.

And, to be clear, the UFC is more exciting than boxing in that matches are open and can be won by kicks, knees, submissions and slams or throws, as opposed to be merely won on punches. Plus how many KOs do you see on your average card in boxing? There was a UFC card, I want to say 73 or 72 where four of the televised six fights were KOs or TKOs. Even the causal fan likes KOs.

If last night drove people away, then I say fine, get the hell out of here. These are real fights, people. Fighters are gonna enter with a gameplan, and once they get hit, it is going to change what is going on. Not every fighter is of the same mindset. You have some fighters, like Karo Parysian and Chris Leben, who will keep coming at you regardless of what is going on. Others like Cro Cop will try to change strategy. There is no gaurantee that you are going to see the fight of the century each time a match comes on. Fights are not scrpited (at least in the UFC). Match makers can only do so much. Whether to your approval or not, Henderson and Rampage went out there and fought, and fought hard. And kept a pretty good pace for almost 1 half hour. Even in the clinch, they were not really resting.

The American audience is very fickle. This is the new hot spot right now. Remember 10 years ago when prowrestling was "Can't Miss TV"? That eventually faded. Perhaps the UFC will too fade, who knows. Right now it's not going anywhere.

If you were among those bored by last night's show, then do not tune in next time. It is really that simple. You are all certainly entitled to your opinion, but, to be honest, you just don't "get it" if you called the 'Page- Hendo fight "boring" or "lackluster" or any similar adjective. You're not alone, though, if you do not get MMA: I have also encountered many TMA that are not sold on MMA, either.

Again, 'Page- Hendo was not the greatest fight ever, but was not boring. People need to realize you are not always going to get a Bonnar- Griffen I or a Parysian- Sanchez fight every time.

Prowrestling can ensure good fights, MMA cannot.

The reason I compared UFC to boxing in this thread is because whenever I see something about MMA on SportsCenter, a comparison to boxing is inevitable. Whenever I read about it in SI or the Sporting News, boxing's decline in popularity is usually mentioned in the article.

For the record, I wasn't saying the fight was boring. The two points I was making were (1) The UFC's popularity is mostly the result of excellent marketing and (2) a fight like Jackson-Henderson is probably not going to draw in a lot of the casual fans who turned away from boxing because of lack of "action."

Whether the hardcore MMA fan saw last night's main event as a technical masterpiece is immaterial. What matters, in the context of what I am saying and in all likelihood, the mind of Dana White, is the fan who left boxing because he didn't find the fights exciting enough probably was not all that moved by last night's display of (mostly) mat-grappling by Jackson and Henderson.

I have to disagree with your assessment of how MMA is more exciting than boxing. If you take the two at their absolute best, there is nothing that compares to boxing. Check the atmosphere surrounding fights like Mayweather-Oscar or Jones-Tarver. There really is nothing like that in UFC. Ortiz-Liddell was about as close as a UFC fight has ever come to that kind of across-the-board appeal and national buzz. Honestly, it seemed like the sports media seemed more concerned about the possibility of Ortiz winning Athlete of the Year and the subsequent fall-out from it if he beat Liddell than the actual fight itself.

It should also be noted that Darth's question about how many knockouts occur on a boxing card can get different answers. On an entire card of fights, the majority will usually end in a stoppage of some kind. If you are talking about a double-header on HBO, it depends on who the fighters are. In reality, though, I could go through my video library dig up an isolated PPV, much like Darth did by citing "UFC 72 or 73," and find one that saw every fight in a KO or TKO. Casual fans may like knockouts, but they also like 12-round slugfests, too.

Harmon Shelton's statement that Jackson-Henderson blew anything boxing has done in recent years out of the water is ridiculous. Remember the Ward-Gatti trilogy? How about the Barerra-Morales series? De La Hoya-Vargas and Trinidad-Mayorga were fantastic fights with great subplots. Again, if the promoters of these fights had the vision of Dana White, people would not be writing boxing stories reminiscent of the 1980s rather than epitaphs for a once-proud sport.

[JMello]

I'll do a brief overview, because I was happy with the entire card. I think most of what I would say has already been said.

Alexander is the most exciting fighter I have seen in awhile, I can't wait to see him fight again.

Marcus Davis looked impressive and I can't wait to see him fight again.

Congo looked good, gotta watch those knees. I wouldn't be surprised if Cro Cop was done in the UFC.

Bisping clearly lost and Hammil got the shaft. I wouldn't be surprised to see Dana White force a rematch, but he may not because they want to push Bisping.

While I liked the Rampage/Henderson match, it obviously could had been more exciting. I do feel they both put out their best effort, too bad the mainstream doesn't applaud effort.

[vansabu]

Honestly, at the end of the day boxing sucks and UFC rules with great booking, marketing, cast of athletes, there is no way boxing will survive, unless they bring tommy morrison back ! LOL ! Just kidding ! Those who like boxing like boxing and those who like MMA like MMA , sometimes its hard to change habit. Oh, well, we all have opinions.

" But I'm not telling you anything that you dont already know"

[Cosmic Crippler]

I wonder who is next for Rampage? You think Dana White might give Wanderlei a shot?

[Darth Turkish]

curlig76 said:

I wonder who is next for Rampage? You think Dana White might give Wanderlei a shot?

Rua, no doubt

[Cosmic Crippler]

jmello said:

I'll do a brief overview, because I was happy with the entire card. I think most of what I would say has already been said.

Alexander is the most exciting fighter I have seen in awhile, I can't wait to see him fight again.

Marcus Davis looked impressive and I can't wait to see him fight again.

Congo looked good, gotta watch those knees. I wouldn't be surprised if Cro Cop was done in the UFC.

Bisping clearly lost and Hammil got the shaft. I wouldn't be surprised to see Dana White force a rematch, but he may not because they want to push Bisping.

While I liked the Rampage/Henderson match, it obviously could had been more exciting. I do feel they both put out their best effort, too bad the mainstream doesn't applaud effort.

Though I've been wrong with almost all my predictions as of late, I have a feeling Rua is gonna put a hurtin on Griffin.