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So here we go, it’s the main event for Saturday’s UFC 100. It’s the biggest event in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship promotion, and it has a main event to help meet the hype. In a rematch from February 2008, Brock Lesnar takes on Frank Mir for the UFC Heavyweight Championship.
Currently, Brock holds the UFC Heavyweight Title after his UFC 91 TKO of Randy Couture. Mir is the UFC Interim Heavyweight Champion after he took a 2nd round TKO over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 92. Now, they will unify the belts to determine an undisputed champion.
February 2nd, 2008 is a long time ago, but it still feels like yesterday for former WWE superstar Brock Lesnar. In his first fight inside The Octagon, Lesnar had a tough challenge in former champ Frank Mir, who was on his way back from a devestating motorcycle injury. Lesnar came out and pushed the pace immediately, scoring a takedown immediately and starting an onslaught of punches. After a penalty forced them to stand up again, Lesnar would take Mir down for a second time. After Mir scrambled away from Lesnar hammer fists, he was able to catch a ground submission and force Brock to tap from an expertly executed knee bar.
Brock believed Mir got lucky; Mir believed Brock didn’t have a good gameplan. Here are the facts. Mir did NOT get lucky. This guy is a legit Brazilian jiu-jitsu master, who has won 5 of his 10 UFC fights via submission (6 really, but they counted his arm break win over Tim Sylvia as a TKO). The mark of a BJJ specialist, from Royce Gracie to Nogueira, is to weather the storm and then find your opening. That’s sort of what happened.
Since that fight, Lesnar has won twice, dominating both Heath Herring and Couture, showing marked and massive improvement in each fight. Mir has just the one fight since then, the dominating TKO win over Nogueira. The improvement and dominance of both fighters since their initial fight turns this into one of the most hotly anticipated fights in my mind in years.
Lesnar has shown in his 3 UFC fights a number of things. He can take anyone down at will. He can block takedown attempts and brush them off like nothing. He can take a punch and keep pushing forward. He can use his surprising agility to confuse opponents. He can strike from anywhere on the ground, and can be very effective in a ground and pound role. He’s finished a fight, he’s gone the distance in a fight and to ME, has shown a pretty damn good all round game.
The one question…can he avoid, and escape from, submission attempts from an expert practitioner? Inevitably, this fight will end up on the floor with Brock on top. It’s how the fight will go at some point, guaranteed. I think the stand up edge goes to Mir…he looked UNREAL against Nogueira and finished a guy who was previously thought un-finishable. Because of that, Brock will go for the takedown, which he will get. Then he’s playing in Mir’s world.
However, I just don’t see it happening again. Brock has had 400 plus days to train for PRECISELY this moment. I see a very, very slim chance of Mir locking in a submission and then being able to finish it. Lesnar knows what’s coming and is going to be able to work a solid ground and pound game from the guard. This fight goes at least 3 rounds in my books, with Lesnar scoring with take downs and dominance on the ground. Mir is in GREAT shape, so he’s not going to wear out…so for me, it’s a 5 round decision for Lesnar. Lets see how wrong I am…it’s here baby, UFC 100 Saturday in Vegas!
Last night showed that Brock ranks right up there with Kendall Grove as least classy guy in all of MMA. Brock Lesnar is bad for the sport. His style of fighting was uninspired, but effective. Lay on your opponent, hammer away with short punches. I’m fine with the style of win, if that’s what you need to do, go for it. The after the fight antics really got on my nerves though. Show a little bit of class, and maybe a little bit of respect for your opponent. Flipping off the fans? Give me a break. Lesnar has said over and over again that he never respects his opponents, hate to break it to you Brock, this isn’t WWE anymore. The thing that sets MMA apart is the degree of honor and respect amongst these warriors. Brock Lesnar is a total joke.
PS: Hey Jordan, I’m going to post my thoughts on that later on in the day (Monday). Look it, I completely understand why the majority of people were completely turned off by Lesnar’s actions last Saturday night. All I know is that I wasn’t one of those people. What I saw was a guy who was completely, 100% genuine after his fight…now, did that genuity come in the form of a classy handshak and hug? No, clearly it didn’t. I just think that we get all caught up in the hype leading up to a match that it might be unrealistic to think that every single person is going to turn it off as soon as the ref says the fight is over. Lesnar didn’t it, he was still angry and let his emotion get the best of him. I thought it was really cool to see something a little different and see a guy show his emotions in a different way…and lets be honest, we’re still talking about it more than a week later. I know you’ll disagree, and I respect that, but I just think it’s not as bad a thing for the sport as it’s being made out to be.
- Jordan PEvery sport needs bad guys. Absolutely. I’m not condoning what he said (especially about their main sponsor!) but the rest – whatever. I will now tune in EVERY Brock Lesnar fight to see if someone can beat his ass in. Beautiful.
A couple questions for you Pat…..
On another note, I look at the heavyweight division and see alot of incomplete fighters – meaning they may be extremely good at one thing but lackluster at the others. I’m not too sure if its because he’s SO good or if its because no one is complete enough but it will take something unique to de-throne Brock. I don’t see any of the current crop doing it! Kongo, Velasquez, Gonzaga, Dos Santos, Mir, Minotauro, etc.
The closest being Carwin. They are 2 of the same and Carwin has a dynamite chin. What direction do you see the Heavyweight division going within respect to who could challenge Brock?
On another note, GSP has regularily said he fights for the challenge. I personally think he has eclipsed Anderson as best pound for pound (especially after the Anderson-Leites fight which didn’t impress me). Honestly Pat, the gap in the 185′s (Maia, Marquardt 2, Henderson 2, etc.) is closer then the 170′s. There is no one even CLOSE to GSP now (Swick or Kampmann – please?!). Where does GSP go next really?
PS: Jeez Ty, I gotta be honest with you…there really isn’t anyone in the heavyweight division right NOW that I see being able to dethrone Brock. I think Carwin has the best shot, for the reasons you mention…but even Carwin is really raw still and hasn’t fought very many tough fighters to this point in his career. Certainly nothing in the realm of Lesnar. I really believe that following Lesnar’s next fight, we WILL see Dana White figure out a way to bring Fedor into the UFC and get him to fight Brock. It’s the match that everyone will want to see.
To me, the only thing for GSP to do is fight Anderson Silva. But I understand why he’s reluctant to do so, he’s going to be giving up a TON of weight even IF he’s able to come in a little heavier. The 170 pound division is really stacked…but nothing comes close to GSP, so man, I really am in the same boat as you. What’s next at 170 pounds? Nothing that’s going to strike fear, that’s for sure.
- Ty