UFC 111 Rumors/Discussion

[Tree Rollins]

As expected Spike TV returns with a "UFC Prelims" broadcast next month and airs UFC 111 fights of Matt Brown vs. Ricardo Almeida and Nate Diaz vs. Rory Markham.

MMAjunkie.com previously reported that UFC and Spike TV officials planned to showcase the two preliminary-card fights during the live broadcast, and Spike TV today made it official.

Huge Matt Brown fan. His only loss was a BS decision that even Dana White said he won. Looking forward to this.

[terpkeg]

Diego is doing the smart thing, He looked stiff and slow at 155 and honestly he can't beat Kenny Florian or BJ Penn at 155 and he has more interesting match ups at 170.

Agreed. He did not look healthy at 155. Big mistake imo. Plenty of intriguing fights for him to earn his bread at 170. Reminds me of Swick to 170. Yes the comp he was facing at 185 was not world class, but he just looks weak and sickly at 170. Both should put some mass back on.

[JuicedUp]

diaz vs Markham for free....nice.

[tj5485]

diaz vs Markham for free....nice.

That should be a great fight

[The HOFF]

Anyone else watching the preview show? That mouthy Brit is starting to grow on me. And to think about it, I wouldn't mind seeing him win. Then we wouldn't get those uneventful rematches of Fitch or Koscheck vs GSP.

[The HOFF]

[Vaughany]

Miller and Pellegrino are both locks

[Kaladarus]

Anyone else watching the preview show? That mouthy Brit is starting to grow on me. And to think about it, I wouldn't mind seeing him win. Then we wouldn't get those uneventful rematches of Fitch or Koscheck vs GSP.

Hardy is doing an excellent job promoting himself. I would like for him to KTFO GSP, but this is very unlikely to happen.

[illmatick]

Miller and Pellegrino are both locks

whats the line on Pellegrino?

[Tree Rollins]

Anyone else watching the preview show? That mouthy Brit is starting to grow on me. And to think about it, I wouldn't mind seeing him win. Then we wouldn't get those uneventful rematches of Fitch or Koscheck vs GSP.

I always root for the underdogs anyway unless it's one of my favorites fighting. I don't like Hardy but i'll be rooting for him because i'm not a big GSP fan either.

[Tree Rollins]

the ufc has been trying hard to play up Hardy as having a "puncher's chance". I don't see it though. He has good power, but not that good. Anyone can get caught, but i don't see it happening in this fight.

[THE_LOCKSMITH]

what IF (a big IF) Hardy beats GSP, you think they would make rematch first or give the winner of Alves/Fitch (on the same card) the 1st crack at Hardy?

[Pabinator]

Im actually excited to see GSP back in the ring "octogon" I think the dude always has a good gameplan

[The HOFF]

what IF (a big IF) Hardy beats GSP, you think they would make rematch first or give the winner of Alves/Fitch (on the same card) the 1st crack at Hardy?

I think the winner of Kosheck / Daley will have the first shot no matter who wins between GSP and Hardy. Paulo Thiago has a strong case too. Another win may put him in line.

[cky312]

I'm not the biggest GSP fan out there, but I think after he beats Hardy he should take a 2 year break from MMA and tryout for the Canadian Olympic wrestling team. He's contemplated this prior, and this makes a lot of sense. Theres really no more clear cut contenders for him in welterweight, he's not big enough to dominate at middleweight. Plus, wrestling has always been a passion of his, and to get a chance to represent his country on top of that. This also will get MMA a lot more media exposure.

[Kaladarus]

I'm not the biggest GSP fan out there, but I think after he beats Hardy he should take a 2 year break from MMA and tryout for the Canadian Olympic wrestling team. He's contemplated this prior, and this makes a lot of sense. Theres really no more clear cut contenders for him in welterweight, he's not big enough to dominate at middleweight. Plus, wrestling has always been a passion of his, and to get a chance to represent his country on top of that. This also will get MMA a lot more media exposure.

He's easily big enough for middle weight and he's been packing the pounds. GSP walks around at 200+ pounds now and he's just getting bigger. Forget wrestling if he wants to become the greatest fighter ever, he needs to move up and challenge himself. Being the best in you're division is good and he will leave his name in the sport for it, but dominating 170 and 185 will possibly make him the greatest of all time if he succeeds. What does wrestling in the Olympics do for him really? If he doesn't win he's completely wasted his time. Also why would one of the greatest fighters ever leave the sport in his prime? It doesn't make any sense. GSP easily has enough skill and can easily put the weight to make him good at 185. Look at Randy Couture, he gave so much weight at heavy weight and was not only a force, but a champion. Fedor isn't really a true heavyweight weight wise, but he dominates guys bigger than him all the time. Anderson Silva has tried to get fights at heavyweight also and Gegard Mousasi is a middleweight with the light heavyweight belt. Realistically GSP would be giving up no more than a couple pounds if any weight at all.

[Vrakas]

I think the winner of Kosheck / Daley will have the first shot no matter who wins between GSP and Hardy. Paulo Thiago has a strong case too. Another win may put him in line.

Paulo Thiago has said that he is not ready for GSP. I don't know if his opinion will change with only one more fight, but you never know.

[keyboarding]

I'm not the biggest GSP fan out there, but I think after he beats Hardy he should take a 2 year break from MMA and tryout for the Canadian Olympic wrestling team. He's contemplated this prior, and this makes a lot of sense.

He has gone on record in saying people took that seriously, he didn't mean it.

He also would not make the team, from what I've heard.

[GunShard]

Probably one of the best fight cards of the year.

[cky312]

He's easily big enough for middle weight and he's been packing the pounds. GSP walks around at 200+ pounds now and he's just getting bigger. Forget wrestling if he wants to become the greatest fighter ever, he needs to move up and challenge himself. Being the best in you're division is good and he will leave his name in the sport for it, but dominating 170 and 185 will possibly make him the greatest of all time if he succeeds. What does wrestling in the Olympics do for him really? If he doesn't win he's completely wasted his time. Also why would one of the greatest fighters ever leave the sport in his prime? It doesn't make any sense. GSP easily has enough skill and can easily put the weight to make him good at 185. Look at Randy Couture, he gave so much weight at heavy weight and was not only a force, but a champion. Fedor isn't really a true heavyweight weight wise, but he dominates guys bigger than him all the time. Anderson Silva has tried to get fights at heavyweight also and Gegard Mousasi is a middleweight with the light heavyweight belt. Realistically GSP would be giving up no more than a couple pounds if any weight at all.

Weight wise he has no problems since he's done nothing but pack on more pounds, but height and reach wise he's at a definitive disadvantage. I'm not saying he won't dominate the middleweight class, but if he ever decides to fight Anderson I think it'll be the very same reason GSP beat BJ, size. When fighters of that calibre meet, where their skills sets are almost offsetting, it comes down to tangibles. GSP gives up leverage due to his height / size disadvantage as a middle weight. No doubt he is bigger than a lot of middleweight right now but once he gets to the top of the class I think his physical ability repeat the same tale for GSP as BJ did in welterweight. Don't get me wrong though, I am all for him trying to get a challenge from his fights (unlike his current welterweight challengers).

He has gone on record in saying people took that seriously, he didn't mean it. He also would not make the team, from what I've heard.

Never heard about the not serious part, but I'm not shocked if he wasn't serious about it. From the article I read, it said GSP will need to abandon MMA right now and start training for wrestling if he was to make the team, hence a two and half year absence from MMA.

[brooks85]

"UFC's Thiago "Pitbull" Alves will not fight at Saturday's UFC 111, because a CAT Scan shows an irregularity in his brain ... TMZ has learned."

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2010/3/25/1389711/thiago-alves-out-with-brain

[THE_LOCKSMITH]

thats crazy

[THE_LOCKSMITH]

UFC welterweight contender Jon Fitch will get a second chance to dazzle the New Jersey crowd this Saturday night at the Prudential Center as the UFC has re-booked him to face Ben Saunders

http://www.mmamania.com/2010/3/25/1389955/jon-fitch-re-booked-to-face-ben

[Eccocide]

UFC welterweight contender Jon Fitch will get a second chance to dazzle the New Jersey crowd this Saturday night at the Prudential Center as the UFC has re-booked him to face Ben Saunders

http://www.mmamania.com/2010/3/25/13...ed-to-face-ben

arg. Ellenberger was going to make me some serious cash

[cky312]

Dammit, so Ellenberger gets the shaft and Saunders gets bumped up to an irrelevent fight he can't win?

[Educ8d Degener8]

That Pellegrino line is moooooooooooving fellas.... was -160ish yesterday and now -230...

edit: nevermind, my chart was incorrect. sorry.

[THE_LOCKSMITH]

Georges St. Pierre (170) vs. Dan Hardy (170)
Fank Mir (265) vs. Shane Carwin (265)
Ben Saunders (169) vs. Jon Fitch (171)
Fabricio Camoes (155) vs. Kurt Pellegrino (155)
Jim Miller (155) vs. Mark Bocek (154)
Nate Diaz (171) vs. Rory Markham (177)
Ricardo Almeida (170) vs. Matt Brown (170)
Jared Hamman (205) vs. Rodney Wallace (206)
Tomasz Drwal (185) vs. Rousimar Palhares (186)
Matthew Riddle (170) vs. Greg Soto (170)


Markham way over

[brooks85]

ya thats a lot to be over

[Kaladarus]

Georges St. Pierre (170) vs. Dan Hardy (170)
Fank Mir (265) vs. Shane Carwin (265)
Ben Saunders (169) vs. Jon Fitch (171)
Fabricio Camoes (155) vs. Kurt Pellegrino (155)
Jim Miller (155) vs. Mark Bocek (154)
Nate Diaz (171) vs. Rory Markham (177)
Ricardo Almeida (170) vs. Matt Brown (170)
Jared Hamman (205) vs. Rodney Wallace (206)
Tomasz Drwal (185) vs. Rousimar Palhares (186)
Matthew Riddle (170) vs. Greg Soto (170)


Markham way over

7 pounds come on. I hope this doesn't help him too much since I've already made plays on Diaz.

[Vrakas]

best card this year so far cant wait

[The HOFF]

[The HOFF]

[The HOFF]

[The HOFF]

[The HOFF]