The Shrine

And even thought it was on Spike last night, here's a little Anderson Silva vs James Irvin: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x66qod ... irvi_sport

You beat me to it, all I can say is, HOLY FUCK! I expected Fedor to win in 2:30-3 minutes of the first round.

The event itself was awesome (though it lacked the production levels of UFC, let alone Pride or Dream which are just insane with the production). They needed to tighten the ropes on the ring though, Babalu had locked on a submission and fell through the ropes.

Arlovski also had an awesome fight, I haven't seen him that aggressive in quite a while.

Overall I was quite happy, but that main event was definately a holy shit moment.

I can't get PPV, so I watched the UFC on Spike while getting work done. I did catch one of the free Affliction fights, Vitor Belfort looking solid at middleweight.

First thing I did when I got up this morning was look for the Fedor fight.

It should be noted that this is the first recognized independent World Heavyweight Championship in Mixed Martial Arts that they are fighting for.


Fedor is just a fighter everyone has to watch. Tim Sylvia really had a lot of guts stepping up to this guy; even if he is to this date the most dominant heavyweight fighter in UFC history. Even so, he is facing Fedor, a fighter who essentially has never lost a round in his entire career and cleared out possibly the deepest division in the history of MMA (The Pride Heavyweight). Not just that, but he also defeated much larger world class kickboxers: Semmy Schilt, the current World Champion; Mark Hunt who not only defeated Cro Cop, but took headkicks and was barely phased; and Hong Man Choi who is 7 foot 2 and has knocked people out like it's a child's game.

Fedor has one loss on his record which he shouldn't have. He got hit in the eye with an illegal move. Since the fight was a tournament, and Fedor was injured rather than having the fight listed as a DQ victory for Fedor or a No Contest, it was listed as a loss on Fedor's record. This may change in the future even though that fight was 8 years ago now.

Anyway:

English version of the fight, long version includes the introduction and a bit of the post fight

Just the fight


For the rest of the PPV, I am sure there will be torrents of it up in no time. There was no fight that I saw that wasn't good; I started watching at the event at the Pyle vs Ambrose fight. The least entertaining fight of the night was Barnett vs. Rizzo, it was similar to their first fight except longer; and it still ends in a knockout. Even the Hominic vs Savant Young fight was very good (the fight seemed kind of out of place on the card which featured many top fighters). I highly recommend it, but expect a production more along the lines of Elite XC... Just with more top names on this card than Elite XC's entire roster.

What the hell? That was the quickest MMA fight I'd ever seen. Sylvia just went all defensive at the first punch. Was he really hit that hard?

Yes. Many of Fedor's fights go like this: he simply overwhelms his opponent. It's unusual for a heavyweight to move that fast and be that explosive. Look him up on YouTube and dailymotion.com. A lot of the Pride fights are still up.

This was very similar to the beginning of Couture vs Syliva, with one big exception: Fedor was able to get the choke.

I still want to see Couture vs Fedor, but now I also want to see Anderson Silva vs Fedor.

It's cool too that just by looking at Fedor, you would not think he'd be the best fighter on the planet.

I'm sure this guy trains by breaking his hand everyday and turning his fist into a big mound of bone.

That and chewing glass for breakfast.

In the post fight interview, Sylvia said: "I know I’m one of the best heavyweights in the world. I really don’t think that he’s human. I thought I was the guy to beat him, but I’ve never been hit so hard."


Here's a really good highlight which shows a lot of the big moments in Fedor's career up to his fight with Cro Cop in 2005.

Dutch wrote:Tim Sylvia really had a lot of guts stepping up to this guy; even if he is to this date the most dominant heavyweight fighter in UFC history.

Please, you can't be serious. UFC might not have had the best heavyweight division over the years, but come on.

That dopey looking troll has proven over the years that he has a suspect chin and no real skill (really, beyond using his size to wear down an opponent, what does he really do?).

Not that I'm dissing Fedor (unlike your constant digs on the UFC), but I was pretty damn surprised Affliction main evented a chump like Sylvia...

kali o. wrote:

Dutch wrote:Tim Sylvia really had a lot of guts stepping up to this guy; even if he is to this date the most dominant heavyweight fighter in UFC history.

Please, you can't be serious. UFC might not have had the best heavyweight division over the years, but come on.

I don't see how you can think that factual information can't be serious.

kali o. wrote:That dopey looking troll has proven over the years that he has a suspect chin and no real skill (really, beyond using his size to wear down an opponent, what does he really do?).

You're questioning the chin of a fighter who hasn't been KO'd or TKO'd in his entire 9 year professional career?

kali o. wrote:Not that I'm dissing Fedor (unlike your constant digs on the UFC), but I was pretty damn surprised Affliction main evented a chump like Sylvia...

I don't know, perhaps it has something to do with the fact that his last 7 fights were main events in the UFC?



Talk about ignorance.

What response do you want? Out of those 7 fights, how many was he booed for after?

Edit: Also, I meant to write suspect heart, not chin. But whatever, everything about Sylvia is suspect.

kali o. wrote:What response do you want? Out of those 7 fights, how many was he booed for after?

Edit: Also, I meant to write suspect heart, not chin. But whatever, everything about Sylvia is suspect.

I take it all of this information you have on Tim Sylvia is based on your extensive knowledge of MMA?

While Tim Sylvia gets booed, his opponents are heavily cheered, and Fedor is a fan favourite, so I don't see why you think it is a negative thing at all that Tim Sylvia gets booed. Afterall, what was heard at the end of the match were thunderous cheers.

Now what do I want? What do you think I want? I am interested in hearing how you managed to come to such ridiculous conclusions and why you think they are relevant.

You know, judging by the fact that it seems you just came into this thread to cause a disruption, it is a bit ironic that it was you who labelled Tim Sylvia as a "troll".

I, for one, am happy MMA became popular so that Seek had something to follow that is skillful and an actual sport as opposed to WWE. These posts are more interesting than the endless Raw and PPV updates.

Dutch wrote: I take it all of this information you have on Tim Sylvia is based on your extensive knowledge of MMA?

Because I watch his fights maybe? You think because you lurk around the sherdog forums YOU are an expert or someshit?

Dutch wrote:While Tim Sylvia gets booed, his opponents are heavily cheered, and Fedor is a fan favourite, so I don't see why you think it is a negative thing at all that Tim Sylvia gets booed. Afterall, what was heard at the end of the match were thunderous cheers.

He gets booed because he is a boring and unskilled fighter.

Dutch wrote:Now what do I want? What do you think I want? I am interested in hearing how you managed to come to such ridiculous conclusions and why you think they are relevant.

I watched his fights while you mouthed on Ninte-- I mean Pride's nuts. It's relevant because it is my (and alot of MMA fans) opinion.

Dutch wrote:You know, judging by the fact that it seems you just came into this thread to cause a disruption, it is a bit ironic that it was you who labelled Tim Sylvia as a "troll".

Not especially. The fact that you were in the thread basically assured that there would be some stupid comment (UFC dig) from you which I'd feel obligated to respond. I entered the thread because I watched the event -- and it was a shitty and anti-climatic main event. It also reinforced my belief that the "cage" is better for MMA (but that's another thread).

Seriously seeker, you just can't fucking like anything without being a brand fanboy in some way can you? WWE vs. ECW, Nintendo vs. Sony/MS, Pride vs. UFC, etc. etc. (everything you "like")

It shouldn't get to me, I should just laugh at how pathetic it is...but I guess I'm just weak like that man.

MMA without a cage is not MMA.

SineSwiper wrote:MMA without a cage is not MMA.

Go on. Tell my instructor (a Renzo Gracie blackbelt) that half of his fights weren't MMA.

Look, it's like boxing without the boxing ring. It just doesn't make sense.

Sorry, no.

kali o. wrote:

Dutch wrote:I take it all of this information you have on Tim Sylvia is based on your extensive knowledge of MMA?

Because I watch his fights maybe?

So I suppose I should just take your word on it?

Seriously, this doesn't really answer the question. I don't really give a crap about whether or not some fool watches a fight.

kali o. wrote:You think because you lurk around the sherdog forums YOU are an expert or someshit?

Now that's just a weird comment.

kali o. wrote:He gets booed because he is a boring and unskilled fighter.

Yet he dominated the UFC heavyweight division for years, which no other fighter has done to date.

Kali o. wrote:I watched his fights while you mouthed on Ninte-- I mean Pride's nuts. It's relevant because it is my (and alot of MMA fans) opinion.

Where are these MMA fans you speak of? Show me, exactly who are all of these MMA fans whose opinion it is that they are "pretty damn surprised Affliction main evented a chump like Sylvia..."?

kali o. wrote:Not especially. The fact that you were in the thread basically assured that there would be some stupid comment (UFC dig) from you which I'd feel obligated to respond.

Errr, what "stupid comment (UFC dig)"?

kali o. wrote:I entered the thread because I watched the event -- and it was a shitty and anti-climatic main event.

You're alone on that one.

kali o. wrote:Seriously seeker, you just can't fucking like anything without being a brand fanboy in some way can you?

Errr, I suppose I need to point out that this was Affliction's first PPV, and that it is actually you who are acting like a brand fanboy here. It wasn't me who felt obligated to come in here and spout out ignorant nonsense because of some supposed dig at the UFC brand.

kali o. wrote:It shouldn't get to me, I should just laugh at how pathetic it is...but I guess I'm just weak like that man.

New rule! Actually construct coherent paragraphs when replying to someone instead of replying line-by-line.

Kupek wrote:New rule! Actually construct coherent paragraphs when replying to someone instead of replying line-by-line.

Meh, I could read everything Seeker wrote just fine (too bad he didn't say shit worth reading). Anyway, are you actually saying you prefer a ring format over the cage for MMA?

I just don't get that at all.

Kali, I essentially called you out on a ridiculous post, and you haven't been able to justify anything you've said; just added in even more ridiculous comments. You still have yet to explain why Tim Sylvia isn't the most dominant heavyweight in UFC history; why you think he has a questionable chin or heart; why you are surprised that a heavyweight who main evented his last 7 fights in the UFC would be a bad choice to put up against Fedor in a brand new North American promotion's first event. On top of that, based on your last post, you now have to prove that there "alot of MMA fans" share your opinion; my so called digs at the UFC in my post which caused you to come to its defense; and how exactly I am a "brand fanboy" based on this post, and you are not.

It is your own statements I am calling you out on. Personally I feel you just need to get a life; you're just trying to stir up something with weird/awkward attempts at an inflammatory posts while ignorantly going on and on about something you know nothing about.

kali o. wrote:I just don't get that at all.

Just pointing this one out.

Dutch wrote:blah, blah....while ignorantly going on and on about something you know nothing about.

Seek bud, you ain't clever. I don't have to "prove" squat to you or waste my time talking to the concrete wall that you are.

Where's that ignore feature? I need a break from you.

I think that replying to someone's post line-by-line encourages objecting to details and never addressing the main point the poster made. Discussion gets reduced to sniping. It's a bad practice.

As for ring vs cage, I think the cage makes for more interesting fights. But Sine's comment was if it's not in a cage, it's not MMA, as if the sport is defined by its boundaries. Which is absurd.

Kupek wrote:I think that replying to someone's post line-by-line encourages objecting to details and never addressing the main point the poster made. Discussion gets reduced to sniping. It's a bad practice.

As for ring vs cage, I think the cage makes for more interesting fights. But Sine's comment was if it's not in a cage, it's not MMA, as if the sport is defined by its boundaries. Which is absurd.

To his defense, it would be pretty odd to see professional football players in a parking lot and im not sure if i would call it football. On the contrary to THAT, though, in football and baseball there are artificial turf, pure grass, and hybrid fields... all of which have their own advantages/disadvantages and i WOULD call all of them football/baseball.

As ive typed, ive sort of convinced myself out of my original thought, because tennis is played on 3 different surfaces and that is all tennis. Before this past Wimbledon, Nadal was dominent mainly on clay and yet was still considered the #2 player in the circuit... ring or cage it shouldnt matter.

The cage is simply a part of the tactics, especially when it comes to grappling. People use that cage as a horizontal springboard to direct force from the grapple attack, to a vertical slam. It also prevents somebody getting pushed outside the ring.

Take that out, and it removes an important grappling tool, and dumbs it down to punches and kicks. MMA without grappling is merely kick-boxing.

Also, the Fedor/Sylvia grapple doesn't really count because the fight was over in 5 seconds, before the grapple even started. Most fights end up near the edge of the cage, and being able to surprise grapple without an "almost-knockout" (like Fedor's) punch is next to impossible in a ring.

I prefer the cage as well for the reasons you listed. But MMA without the cage is still MMA, and grappling still happens. Whether or not an MMA match is basically a kick-boxing match is decided more by the fighters than what they're fighting in.

kali o. wrote:

Dutch wrote:blah, blah....while ignorantly going on and on about something you know nothing about.

Seek bud, you ain't clever. I don't have to "prove" squat to you or waste my time talking to the concrete wall that you are.

Where's that ignore feature? I need a break from you.

I'm not trying to be clever. I pointed out how ridiculous your post was by presenting factual information and asking you to back up some of your claims. All of your crying about not having to back up your points just makes you come off looking like a fool.