CHUCK “The Iceman” Liddell will beat Renato “Babalu” Sobral, that’s for sure. But as our neighborhood sage said, “Nothing is sure under the mango tree.” But if Liddell plays it stupid by letting Sobral take him down, Sobral will have a huge chance to steal the win from The Iceman.
Liddell relies on his striking, more on punches than on kicks but he can do both well, having been a former kickboxer with a record of 20-2-0 with 16 knockouts. Sobral can stand up with Liddell but he can’t sustain striking it out with Liddell for long.
From the get-go, Sobral has to take down Liddell and go for a submission or mount Liddell for the pound. That’s easier said than done. Liddell’s sprawl and escape from the single-leg takedown is very good. And when he breaks away from a hold with his opponent still in the ground or just about to get back on his feet, Liddell will be waiting to pounce.
“Chuck also wants to prove that his first victory over Babalu was no fluke. My pick, Chuck by decision…The last big event I’m waiting for is the Pride Open Weight Grand Prix semifinal round. CroCop versus Wanderlei, and Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Josh Barnett. These are, by far, the best fights.
CroCop and Wandy drew their first match. But I would give CroCop the advantage as he is a natural heavyweight. Wandy is a light heavyweight, but who knows.”CroCop will always have the edge over Silva due to his size, like Liddell against Sobral. CroCop may have drawn with Silva the first time out, but things this time may change this time.
CroCop has improved a lot his defense to the sprawl and push out. And his punching and roundhouse kick are still a force of nature.
He wasn’t able to knock down or knock out Silva the first time out because Silva, as usual, was so aggressive, taking the fight to Crocop and getting very close.
It was also CroCop’s first mixed-martial-arts match and he was swamped by the type of attack. He said that it was confusing defending against, punches, kicks, clinch, takedown, etc.
Silva is one of the most athletic MMA fighters active. He is strong, quick, and almost totally fearless. He loves toe-to-toe exchanges and is very durable.
After his defeat to Ricardo Arona, a little shine was taken off his being one of the world’s best MMA fighters. He has a lot to prove, everything to lose, while CroCop, being bigger, has his pride and future prize money to think of.
Silva is still one of Pride’s top attractions and CroCop is right behind him. If no one plans to play it safe, Silva-CroCop will be a blast.
“The second match up would be interesting, grappler versus grappler. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (the older of the twins) has never lost to a guy that wasn’t named Fedor (Emelianenko). Josh is on a roll.
I would give Big Nog the edge as he is a very good striker being a former amateur boxer. Also, I want to know what you think about the decision of UFC and Pride to pit their top fighters (Chuck vs. Wanderlei) against each other? I think this is very good for MMA as this will be the first ‘true’ undisputed world championship match for MMA.
“Thanks for taking the time to read my somewhat amateurish view on the fights. Hope to read your expert views on these fights. More power to you!”
You have never been amateurish, Aldie. If you had a column yourself, I would be a tad insecure as you see the fighters and analyze fights as well as anybody I know. I have never claimed to be an MMA expert, I just know more than most and have the upper hand in articulation and venue (I have a column, you don’t) like CroCop over Silva size-wise.
Nogueira has some edge over Barnett. Big Nog has probably the best submission of all heavyweights. Barnett is no slouch in that department, either, but on a level of one to 10, Big Nog is at least a nine, while Barnett can barely make seven. Barnett has a better chance striking it out with Big Nog. You have to break eggs to make eggnog. Heheheh…
I see this as a win for Nogueira by submission. A KO win for Big Nog is not a remote possibility either.
As to UFC and Pride getting together? This is a momentous event in MMA. It’s like the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association agreeing to unify their rating systems and putting all their champions in one pool. The UFC-Pride combo can only mean good things for MMA.
from SunStar.com.ph
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6 comments:
Welcome back, Paul! Glad to see that you've found a new home.
HELLO MY FRIEND!!! IT IS VERY NICE U HAVE RESURRECTED FREE FOR ALL!!! AND U DIDNT WASTE UR TALENT AS AN MMA ENTHUSIATS SLASH WRITER!!! AND VERY VERY GOOD AT IT!!! I NEED UR REVIEWS!!! WE NEED UR REVIEWS!!! AND UNTIL NOW WE ARE SUPPORTING AND WISHING FOR U TO HAVE A NEW PLACE TO SHOWCASE UR GREAT TALENT AND SKEPTICAL/CYNICAL/UNBIASED EYES IN THE MARTIAL ARTS WORLD!!! BRINGING IT TO CEBU, OUR BEAUTIFUL PROVINCE... NICE TO HEAR FROM U AGAIN....
LIONHEART
HELLO MY FRIEND IT IS VERY NICE TO KNOW THAT U HAVE A NEW PLACE TO SHOWCASE UR TALENT AS AN EXCELLENT MARTIAL ARTIST AND GREAT SPORTS WRITER!!! WE CAN INTERCHANGE EXCELLENT AND GREAT FOR THIS MATTER... WE HAVE BEEN WISHING FOR U TO RESURRECT FREE FOR ALL!!! AND NOW ITS GOOD TO READ AGAIN FROM UR POINT OF VIEW!!! WE WILL STAND BEHIND U AND SUPPORT U... AND THANK U FOR BEING A SKEPTICAL/UNBIASED/CYNICAL SPORTS WRITER THATS WHY WE MARTIAL ARTIST WHO ARE READING UR COLUMN LOVES TO READ WHAT U WRITE EVERY WEEK... THANK U FOR SHARING THE MIND TO US...
LIONHEART
great!!! i would want to watch that fight again of CROCOP AND VANDERLIE...
WITH JOSH AND BIG NOG?...ID GO FOR BIG NOG TO SUBMIT JOSH.... BUT WE CAN JUST ONLY SPECULATE, WE HAVENT SEEN THE FIGHT YET HERE...HOPE IT HAS ALREADY BEEN REALIZED.... WE ARE VERY LATE HERE IN THE PHILIPPINES... I HOPE OUR NETWORKS HERE WILL BE AS COMPETENT AS WHAT THEY ASSUME THEY ARE AND SHOW US THE LATES AND NEW FIGHT SHOWS... WOW I CANT WAIT TILL SATURDAY COMES....
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK UR PERMISSION ALSO SIR? THAT I WILL HAVE TO TAKE UR THREAD AND POST IT AT OUR FORUM...ABOUT MARTIAL ARTS.... THERE ARE PEOPLE HIDDEN JUST HIDDING... BUT LOVES MIXED MARTIAL ARTS AND LOVES THE WAY YOU WRITE THINGS....KEEP IT UP AND WERE ALL HERE FOR U....
hey freak, i missed your column at sunstar. What happened? Did you just tap out or axed and passed out?
That's Mister Freak to you, 'anonymous' coward. I have a very good idea of who or what you are. You are that intrigue-spreading, money-grubbing, backstabbing, hypocrite liar who slept in class (private school? HAHAHA) during grammar lessons. Look at your use of the verb 'axed.' That is basic English. In your case, basic ungrammatical English. Dust off one of those newsprint reprint grammar books you still have at ho...er, home, beeyotch. And don't bother polluting this blog with your evil presence again. You can use 'anonymous,' or you can use another good (unlike you) person's name. (You have added identity thief to your list of talents.) You will still be identified for the useless jerk that you are. Sorry. I take it back. You do have your uses. You spend enough on gate tickets whenever the URCC comes to Cebu, so you could have unwitting bodyguards/backups. The URCC appreciates your support, Mr. 'Alvin told me to meet you at the pier from Dumaguete.' Of all the nerve, another blatant lie to lay claim to being 'part of the URCC.'
Hey, your local MMA promotion went belly up due to mismanagement and sheer arrogance. How dare you sully the good name of Philippine MMA promotions pioneer, URCC, just to 'make papel'? Aren't you content to pose with winning URCC fighters in the ring so you could have photos to brag to your friends (aw, fiends, di-ay) that you are indeed 'with the URCC'? Sheeeottt!!! Thick-mugged lying son-of-a...it would be an insult to all good female dogs in the world.
Yes, the URCC appreciates your business for shelling out the money for a minimum of 30 tickets whenever they are in town. But then again, even worms eating corpses have their uses.
Apologies to Cecil Frances Alexander, but we need to rephrase the text to his sublime Anglican hymn: All creatures great and small (that's you, 'anonymous')/All things unwise and awful/The Lord Satan made them all.
You know better than to piss me off. Hey, stop doing that. Life is too short to be spent always angry and spiteful and dragging anybody and everybody into the muck with you. You (if this is really you, 'anonymous,' if you are somebody else just as evil, perhaps you deserve this diatribe too, serves you right for pissing me off before breakfast -- I have been reviewing this blog, resetting the layout and all since 5AM) have more than enough on your plate. You have all the money you need (as you claim), the cars, the guns (licensed?), the (real) friends...nah, scratch that.
You also have more than enough criminal cases filed against you by several (good) people. Don't add to your legal woes and legal fees by adding to your list of enemies. Your belligerent and lying ways will catch up with you one of these days. You realize (spelled: real-lies) of course that you cannot fight the whole world. That is what it seems from many people's vantage point. You are fighting (and hiding) all the time. But never in the ring, as you once challenged me. HAHAHAHA. Ayaw og tuga-tuga oy. Gawas pa, tiguwang na ta. Wa na gani kay buhok hapit. It is too late to be friends with you. We once were civil to each other but that was before many impolite (to say the least) text messages you sent me. You even called me once in a fake (as usual) hangdog voice: 'Sir Paul...' Heheh. Ilara, tits, uhong ka.
You have drawn the line and crossed it. Many times. In a perfect world, you will stop irritating, challenging people (and backing out and challenging again and backing out; a direct quote: "Kapoy kaayo na awayon si...Abante na siya, unya atras, abante na sab. Dili gyud mo mag-abot. Samokon lang gyud ka ana niya. Sorry, no English translation, but we assure you it is colorful), lying, spreading false (as opposed to true) rumors, using people and circumstances...Do we still have space?
That would be enough for now.
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