**official Mma Thread**

[grocery_mony 8]

When is Wandy gonna fight again? his last fight was so short you figure he would be able to get back at er right away. I saw on mmajunkie someone says he said he was gonna fight in Decembers big card but you gotta figure theres gotta be a fight sooner.

[Actuary 3]

When is Wandy gonna fight again? his last fight was so short you figure he would be able to get back at er right away. I saw on mmajunkie someone says he said he was gonna fight in Decembers big card but you gotta figure theres gotta be a fight sooner.

I give up.Dusty Rhodes?*****************************"I'm a limousine ridin', jet flyin', kiss stealin', wheelin' dealin' son of a gun. WHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

[jdrury12 0]

When is Wandy gonna fight again? his last fight was so short you figure he would be able to get back at er right away. I saw on mmajunkie someone says he said he was gonna fight in Decembers big card but you gotta figure theres gotta be a fight sooner.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writ...kson/index.htmlOn July 15, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, the former UFC light heavyweight champion, lived up to his nickname. But not in a positive light.After treating the 55 Freeway near Newport Beach, Calif., as a demolition derby, crashing into multiple cars with his raised Ford truck (which had his image emblazoned on the side), Jackson soon found himself behind prison bars."I was very scared for him," said a source close to Jackson who asked not to be identified.Rampage's seismic shift from an idolized mixed martial artist began after he relinquished his title on points to Forrest Griffin UFC 86 on July 5. The decision to fire Juanito Ibarra, his trainer, manager and occasionally spiritual mentor, came shortly thereafter. A lack of food and sleep compounded unsettling behavior, and TMZ photos of Jackson face down in the street at the rear of his Bigfoot-inspired truck -- its left front tire shredded -- documented the result of a dangerous chase with policeWord of Jackson's arrest spread quickly, and within hours, Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White flew in from Las Vegas with $25,000 cash in hand. Finding a bail bondsman, Ibarra, who has ignored repeated attempts for comment since the incident, also appeared ready to bail Rampage out of jail.Upon Jackson's release, the plan was to make the switch from a Costa Mesa jail cell to a psychiatric hospital bed. He refused help, and no one was going to convince him otherwise. The only place he was headed was home.Rampage demanded silence when he wasn't offering words of faith. He spoke of a "wolf in sheep's clothing" and people aligned with the devil."Mentally he wasn't there," said the source. "It was almost as if he was possessed. He heard voices. He thought he was a God."Talk amongst people in the house turned to the need for medical help. At first, they tried convincing Rampage to head for the hospital. That failed, tempers flared and police, thankfully, intervened. Several hours later, the fighter was under psychiatric hold."He went very easy" with police, said the source.Three days later, rested and nourished, Rampage was reunited with friends."He would still make comments that were slightly weird," said Jackson's longtime associate. "You could tell that he wasn't all the way there, but each day you could tell he was better."Against lawyers' advice, Jackson has gone out several times. Fan requests for autographs at a local mall have been happily fulfilled. His only other trips are to outpatient treatment, which he attends daily."He knows what he went through," said the source. "He knew he had an emotional breakdown that led to a mental breakdown. Not eating and not sleeping kind of helped with that."In 2004, Jackson experienced a similar incident when he claimed he was touched by Jesus in a dream, scaring him enough to bolt from his apartment with his son D'Angelo in tow. That night he was born again.Jackson, a Memphis native, was hardly a modest man. With his MMA success, family and friends wondered how he was going to deal with a life that now demanded giving so much to something other than himself.In reality, the answer could have applied to D'Angelo, born from a relationship during his wrestling days at Lassen Community College in Northern California. And his faith.The pressure to live an evangelical life weighed heavy. Jackson became celibate and focused his mental and physical energy on training for his Oct. 31, 2004 fight against Wanderlei Silva, the PRIDE 205-pound champion who had previously caved in Jackson's head with over 20 consecutive knees roughly a year prior.While the first month of balancing his new-found faith with everyday life was a cakewalk, the same could not be said for the second month. After reading on the Internet that fasting would keep the devil away, Jackson abstained from food for three days, ingesting only water and keeping details of his diet secretive.What Jackson didn't realize was his fast had depleted his body and virtually killed any chance of defeating Silva. An inspired opening round gave way to fatigue in the second for Jackson, while Silva, not needing any kind of edge to begin with, brutally beat Rampage until he was unconscious and lay motionless between ropes.But the loss in the ring did nothing to quell Rampage's relationship with the higher power. Rather, news that his father, who had abandoned him when he was 10 years old and was also born again, provided additional proof that everything happens for a reason. The loss to Silva was, therefore, easier to deal with, and the backdrop for Jackson's future relationship with Ibarra slowly unfolded.In talking with Jackson about leading his promising career, Ibarra preached his faith as if he were leading a congregation. His gospel-like tune continued to play throughout their time together, as each training camp featured religious themes were displayed prominently around the gym. Ibarra's "son" believed in himself again, and pieces appeared to fall into place when Jackson defeated Chuck Liddell for a second time May of last year.The victory, Rampage would tell me in a rambling late-night call from Ireland a month later, was already decided."Ya'll don't see how it was just perfect timing?" he asked. "Ya'll don't see that it was written? Ya'll can't see that that was planned? That that was destiny? Ya'll don't see that cause ya'll don't have the eyes that I have. You don't know what God stored in me. I'm God's street soldier. No matter what happens I will always be God's street soldier, and I always know he's going to take care of me. And everything's going to be OK."Everything, save the pact between Jackson and Ibarra. With defeat as the impetus, Jackson responded to rough terrain by relieving the trainer of his duties, though "bottom line, somehow, someway it all involves money," said the fighter's friend.As an Aug. 15 court date approaches for the 30-year-old father of four, a search for a new representation is underway. And, though he is only two weeks removed from an incident that allegedly sent pedestrians scurrying for their lives, the UFC is said to be interested in a November return for Rampage with a third fight against Silva.His appearance in the cage will depend primarily on his mental state. But, as Jackson says himself, everything happens for a reason.

[steve7stud 0]

Ok guys, I for one am not happy with my results in the last two UFC's. Granted I can blame variance, bad decisions, etc. But at the end of the day, a loss is a loss. So......here are the current lines for the three major fights. Plese share input if you have a strong opinion.Btw, not just who you pick, but why.UFC 87 Lightweights - Ultimate Fighting Championships - Target Center, Minneapolis, MN Both must fight for action. Singles Only. Max $500Kenny Florian -155 Roger Huerta +125 UFC 87 Heavyweights - Ultimate Fighting Championships - Target Center, Minneapolis, MN Both must fight for action. Singles Only. Max $500Brock Lesnar -270 Heath Herring +210 UFC 87 Welterweights - Ultimate Fighting Championships - Target Center, Minneapolis, MN Both must fight for action. Singles Only. Max $500Georges St. Pierre -340 Jon Fitch +260

[bdc30 0]

Rampage is obv having serious mental issues - would a state athletic commission not shut down any fight that comes up before he undergoes some serious testing?

[Sal Paradise 57]

huerta, lesner, st. pierre

Rampage is obv having serious mental issues - would a state athletic commission not shut down any fight that comes up before he undergoes some serious testing?

thats what I was thinking. not to mention any legal things like not being able to leave the state or something. I mean I hope for the best for the guy but I don't think getting in the ring again right away is going to be good at all for him.

[steve7stud 0]

huerta, lesner, st. pierrethats what I was thinking. not to mention any legal things like not being able to leave the state or something. I mean I hope for the best for the guy but I don't think getting in the ring again right away is going to be good at all for him.

Why Huerta, Lesner, and St. Pierre?

[bdc30 0]

I like the price on Herring, I don't think he's that big of a 'dog - and I'd bet the whole roll on GSP at pretty much any price.

[Sal Paradise 57]

Why Huerta, Lesner, and St. Pierre?

I have a "feeling."

[Sal Paradise 57]

oh ok, I'll be serious for a minute. huerta's more of a guess, but I've been more impressed with him all around than I have florian. plus I just don't like florian for some reason.lesner because he's just so god damn big that if he really gets some training and uses his talent, I just don't see him being beat easily. this is dependent on him spending lots of time training submission avoidance because I'm sure that's what herring will be looking for.and gsp, I mean, come on.

[Vick12 0]

SteveI like Huerta as well simply because of the line. I think that fight is pretty even in my book...so if I can get a good pirce on 1 of teh 2 fighters I would take it.I would avoid the Lesner line on both sides. I think we don't know enough about Brock yet to justify betting him at the price. I don't like Herring all that much either, so even getting a good price would still have me pass.I like GSP as well but that's a ton of wood to lay. That being said I can't see Fitch winning this fight in any way, shape, or form.

[jdrury12 0]

I got GSP at -260 but am not sure about the current line. I bet Florian becuase I think he's going to be able to pick apart Huerta with his kickboxing (I'm a big Dellagrotte fan aka sucker). Huerta has a chin as we saw in the Garcia fight, but I'm not sure he's going to be handling Florian picking his spots, and may get frustrated. Don't have a strong enough opinion to bet the Lesnar fight yet, but if I had to pick one way I'd pick Brock. The reason I haven't pulled the trigger on Brock is because although Mir is world class in jits, that heel hook was right there, and if Lesnar makes a dumb mistake like that, Heath will catch it, and is tough enough to sustain a some of the GNP Mir might not have. I'm no expert though, and would love to hear more of your guys's opinions

[grocery_mony 8]

I would and will bet money on GSP and Lesnar. GSP because there is not one thing that Fitch brings to the table that GSP isnt better or at least on par with. Lesnar because he is freaky strong and big and will ground and pound Herring out in the first(hopefully he has added some elbows to his gnp). The Huerta/Florian fight is to close to call imo so might just pick the dog. I would just stick to GSP and Lesnar though.

[BigLebowski 0]

I'm a big Florian fan, but I think he may have met his match here. Huerta is going to be able to keep the intensity up for 3 full rounds. I don't see Florian KO'ing him and Huerta is pretty slippery on the ground. Barring a fight ending cut, I see Huerta winning a decision.I would take Herring simply because there is no way Lesnar holds that big of advantage over someone as experienced as Herring. If Herring can get through the first round I think Lesnar is going to get pooped and is either going to make a mistake or just get whooped on. Herring has a bunch of submissions in his arsenal and all it is going to take is one mistake by Lesnar.I simply don't see how GSP loses this fight. Fitch isn't going to KO him and he sure as hell isn't going to out-grapple GSP even though Ftich is one of the stronger MMA wrestlers at 185. However, Fitch has a way of taking his opponent out of their game plan and imposing his will on them. GSP is just a whole other beast though. If I had any insight into GSP's camp and his mindset I would consider rolling it on GSP and not even worrying about the other fights.

[Actuary 3]

imo, given so much time between fights, i.e. unlike a Basketball game where you jsut saw them play, it's tough to gauge the motivation, temperment, condition, etc. I find myself wanting, for example, to know between Lesnar and Herring, who is the most motivated? I see reasons for both. Heath, probably figures he won't get a title shot anytime soon, while Lesnar probably figures he at least has an opportunity. Are they both set financially?

[jdrury12 0]

imo, given so much time between fights, i.e. unlike a Basketball game where you jsut saw them play, it's tough to gauge the motivation, temperment, condition, etc. I find myself wanting, for example, to know between Lesnar and Herring, who is the most motivated? I see reasons for both. Heath, probably figures he won't get a title shot anytime soon, while Lesnar probably figures he at least has an opportunity. Are they both set financially?

Lesnar should be just fine, but I don't see why Herring won't get a shot. Beating Kongo and Lesnar would be great momentum to put himself in line after Werdum, especially in such a shallow division. I would say winner of this fight fights the loser of Mir/Nog sometimes next year, and if Lesnar/Herring wins they should be next.

[Actuary 3]

Lesnar should be just fine, but I don't see why Herring won't get a shot.

because he's 0-3 vs Nog. The fact he did kick Nog down would be a pos in his favor though

[jdrury12 0]

because he's 0-3 vs Nog. The fact he did kick Nog down would be a pos in his favor though

I think they can promote that fight. 'Heath Herring made the huge mistake by not finishing Nogueira in their first fight. Now the title is on the line.' If the division was deeper I would agree, but after Werdum I don't know what else there is.

[chaosnhavoc 0]

I simply don't see how GSP loses this fight. Fitch isn't going to KO him and he sure as hell isn't going to out-grapple GSP even though Ftich is one of the stronger MMA wrestlers at 170.

FYP

[grocery_mony 8]

Man that uppercut elbow of Anderson's in Jdrury's sig is so nasty.

[steve7stud 0]

I'm a big Florian fan, but I think he may have met his match here. Huerta is going to be able to keep the intensity up for 3 full rounds. I don't see Florian KO'ing him and Huerta is pretty slippery on the ground. Barring a fight ending cut, I see Huerta winning a decision.I would take Herring simply because there is no way Lesnar holds that big of advantage over someone as experienced as Herring. If Herring can get through the first round I think Lesnar is going to get pooped and is either going to make a mistake or just get whooped on. Herring has a bunch of submissions in his arsenal and all it is going to take is one mistake by Lesnar.I simply don't see how GSP loses this fight. Fitch isn't going to KO him and he sure as hell isn't going to out-grapple GSP even though Ftich is one of the stronger MMA wrestlers at 185. However, Fitch has a way of taking his opponent out of their game plan and imposing his will on them. GSP is just a whole other beast though. If I had any insight into GSP's camp and his mindset I would consider rolling it on GSP and not even worrying about the other fights.

I tend to agree with this line of thinking. Just wanted to get everyone's input.

[Ron_Mexico 4,219]

I think they can promote that fight. 'Heath Herring made the huge mistake by not finishing Nogueira in their first fight. Now the title is on the line.' If the division was deeper I would agree, but after Werdum I don't know what else there is.

Did Frank Mir disappear at some point and I missed it?

[jdrury12 0]

Did Frank Mir disappear at some point and I missed it?

Isn't it Mir/Nog at the end of the year, Werdum gets next if he wins at 90, then who? I think Herring could throw his name in there with legit credibility if he wins this.

[Actuary 3]

Cain, Sean, and Lesner may all play a role in the picture

[jdrury12 0]

Cain, Sean, and Lesner may all play a role in the picture

If Herring wins I'm saying Heath would be there. The others just seem too green to me. If Herring wins I think he could be one fight away from a shot, would be enough to motivate me.