Support NeoGAF

[TunaMarshmallow]

The guy who weighs 206.2 lbs is the 205 champ.

There are heavyweights. There are light heavyweights. And then there are heavy light heavyweights.

If you know what I mean.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

"Why are you getting married?" -MMA journalist

 

[TunaMarshmallow]

"Why are you getting married?" -MMA journalist

I love MMA "journalists."

I wish I could remember the fight. It was years and years ago. But in the presser, after getting viciously KOed, a fighter is asked: "Did things go as you planned tonight?" Yes, the plan was to get obliterated and knocked unconscious.

 

[zewone]

DC isn't wrong he would smash Manuwa. I don't think Jimi would make it out of the 2nd rd. DC might even finish him in the 1st

I couldn't understand why he was ringside or why he was given any attention or air time. Bro beat a top 30 guy and wants a title shot.

 

[GeoNeo]

Haha I love DC.

 

[Chumley]

lmao "It's like the pot calling the kettle only the pot has a steroid needle"

 

[Obliterator]

I couldn't understand why he was ringside or why he was given any attention or air time. Bro beat a top 30 guy and wants a title shot.

205 is such a wasteland from DC / Jones beating everyone else there just isn't any compelling fights so they are trying to get something going.

 

[parrotbeak]

DC: Effective at hw, effective at 205, effective at 206.2

 

[GeoNeo]

I missed the early part of the press conference will they have it uploaded to UFC channel?

Edit: Nevermind just hit replay it worked

 

[Ninja Scooter]

How is Conor not P4P, DC? Especially if you want to consider your multiple weight class criteria?

 

[Kelsdesu]

I like Mighty Mouse, but c'mon man, under no circumstances would he EVER become a household name.

I sincerely don't see why not.

Nah. His personality is lacking and his division isn't competitive. He's a good fighter with great technical ability but there's nothing about him or the division that's exciting.

I see your point, but was Rhonda's division exciting?

 

[AnotherDayAnotherDollar]

205 is such a wasteland from DC / Jones beating everyone else there just isn't any compelling fights so they are trying to get something going.

http://www.ufc.com/rankings

Shogun is ranked #5 in the UFC LHW (#4 after Rumble leaves). Maybe he can get a rematch with Jones after Jones gets his belt back or as a tune up fight before Jones gets his belt back.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

I sincerely don't see why not.





I see your point, but was Rhonda's division exciting?

Rhonda was a woman who destroyed opponents and finished them. She was a force of nature.

Like, you are delusional if you think the thing keeping MM from being a household name is marketing. He's not the kind of fighter that mainstream fans want to watch.

 

[AnotherDayAnotherDollar]

Rhonda was a woman who destroyed opponents and finished them. She was a force of nature.

Like, you are delusional if you think the thing keeping MM from being a household name is marketing. He's not the kind of fighter that mainstream fans want to watch.

Neither is DC, to be honest. Or even JJ in his latest fights, I can't remember the last time Jones finished someone.

What you said is true though. People love McGregor because of his fighting style and his "persona" off the octagon.

 

[Oscar]

How is Conor not P4P, DC? Especially if you want to consider your multiple weight class criteria?

Maybe after he defends one of his belts we can talk P4P.

 

[Guru-Guru]

I sincerely don't see why not.

I mean, sure, the UFC could do more to promote MM (though I think they realize at this point it is a lost cause), but they did give plenty of opportunities earlier in his career. He headlined a number of FOX cards that were promoted (3, I think), but failed to get good numbers.

His division is shallow. He fights guys who are on 1-2 win streaks with no build up because there is nobody else--look at his opponent next week, Reis. He's a nice dude, but doesn't have mic skills at all.

I also truly believe that flyweight is the division that a casual person could see on TV and automatically think "this is a joke, I could beat up these guys." Obviously that's dumb, but I don't think many people can take 5 foot 125lb men seriously.

 

[Jest Chillin]

I see your point, but was Rhonda's division exciting?

Rhonda was a draw because of her undefeated record and her absolute demolishing of opponents whether they were legitimate or not. Lets also not pretend that the fact that she's attractive didn't add to her draw to a certain extent as well.

Mighty Mouse is neither undefeated nor does he demolish opponents regularly. In fact, he was middling as hell just one weight division higher.

The dude is Floyd Mayweather without the undefeated record, without the love/hate draw, and without being in a sport that has as large a percentage of the fans having an appreciation for the technical ability.

He's store bought Mac and Cheese. Serviceable but nobody is happy to pile more of that on their plate.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Neither is DC, to be honest. Or even JJ in his latest fights, I can't remember the last time Jones finished someone.

What you said is true though. People love McGregor because of his fighting style and his "persona" off the octagon.

DC is a bigger fighter. He fights in what historically has sort of been the "prestige" division in the UFC, where most of their greatest/most popular fighters (Tito, Randy, Chuck, Rampage) have fought.

Mighty Mouse isn't a household name for the same reasons Roman Gonzalez or Guillermo Rigendaux in boxing despite how dominant they are: 1)It's hard to get people to give a shit about the lighter divisions 2) they have vanilla personalities and 3) they can at times be so dominant it becomes boring. The fact that he's about to go for his 10th title defense against another guy nobody has heard of is not really a selling point. Why tune in if it's a foregone conclusion, barring some kind of mega upset, that he's going to win?

They're been great and dominant flyweights and smaller division guys in boxing for decades and nobody cared.

 

[Obliterator]

It is interesting though how 135 still keeps some of that star power (there's a lot of popular fighters at 135) but then flyweight it totally goes out the window. Like I don't think there's a single "draw" at 125. It's just sorta interesting how people don't think of the 135 class as being "too small" but its common to see that thought process towards Flyweight

 

[Sevket-Erhat]

Why wasn't Cain even there ? Any ideas?

 

[Master Thespian]

Why wasn't Cain even there ? Any ideas?

The Derrick Rose of MMA probably blew his knee out on his way to the stage.

 

[Sato Koiji]

WHat was the NY commission doing? What was Rumbles gameplan? Oh gosh just when I thought Ive seen it all.

 

[dreamfall]

Hooft leaving was pretty upsetting. Rumble not listening to his corner is one thing but just leaving? I hope he has a change of heart.

 

[Sevket-Erhat]

Rumble must return for one last time again Jon Jones. I wonder if he is going to act in movies or something

 

[Can Crusher]

Man Weidman complaining like a lil bitch in the press conference was humiliating. He was about to get koed.

 

[Dr.Acula]

Ironically, maybe if some of these fighters couldn't make the card it would have improved things.

Here I was, hyped that for the first time in recent memory a card actually made it to Saturday unscathed, and half the fights were weird-ass bullshit.

Oh well.

 

[Camwi]

Fuck that crowd for booing Mousasi even AFTER Rogan explained what went down.

And fuck Rumble for being checked out of the fight before it even began. What a shitty game plan.

 

[SolidSnakex]

Rumble must return for one last time again Jon Jones. I wonder if he is going to act in movies or something

How would Rumble even get that fight? Jones is getting a title shot right when he returns, and unless something disastrous happens, he should beat Cormier. There's really no line to the title for Rumble.

 

[Camwi]

Btw, love how Mousasi pulled the flag down when his cornermen were behind him waving it around and celebrating. Dude's a classy motherfucker and knows that that victory wasn't worth celebrating.

 

[OnPoint]

Fuck that crowd for booing Mousasi even AFTER Rogan explained what went down.

And fuck Rumble for being checked out of the fight before it even began. What a shitty game plan.

I was in that crowd and I was rooting for Mousasi. I was shocked at how strongly people seemed to dislike him.

 

[BadAss2961]

How would Rumble even get that fight? Jones is getting a title shot right when he returns, and unless something disastrous happens, he should beat Cormier. There's really no line to the title for Rumble.

Might as well set it up just to make it happen, and because he's still the third best fighter in the division.

Gustafsson got similar chances. Rogan still suggested him for another title shot after DC beat Rumble last night.

 

[Camwi]

I was in that crowd and I was rooting for Mousasi. I was shocked at how strongly people seemed to dislike him.

Good for you, dude. Guess they were a bunch of homers.

 

[Can Crusher]

I was in that crowd and I was rooting for Mousasi. I was shocked at how strongly people seemed to dislike him.

I believe it's a U.S vs the world thing.

 

[Marquis]

Can't wait for Jones to get his belt back.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

How would Rumble even get that fight? Jones is getting a title shot right when he returns, and unless something disastrous happens, he should beat Cormier. There's really no line to the title for Rumble.

If Jones wins the belt back that makes the road to a title shot even easier for Rumble. The division is so shallow he could probably come back, win maybe one tune up fight and put himself in line for a title shot.

 

[Chumley]

Since Conor isn't fighting in the UFC again until the very end of the year at the earliest, DC and Jones should just co-main for the GSP/Bisping fight this summer.

 

[BadAss2961]

Since Conor isn't fighting in the UFC again until the very end of the year at the earliest, DC and Jones should just co-main for the GSP/Bisping fight this summer.

Eh... I know it's GSP's comeback and all, but I think DC/Jones 2 is a bigger matchup. Only thing they'd co-main for is a Conor fight.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

I get the feeling Jones will get a tune up fight that will also serve as the co-main on another card, and then he and DC can have their big rematch sometime in late 2017 or early 2018.

 

[Rhaknar]

is a fight being "main event" earn them more money or something?

 

[Ninja Scooter]

is a fight being "main event" earn them more money or something?

some guys do get PPV points but I think that's more based on their contracts than match status. I think for some people it's just a prestige thing. And DC is right, DC/Bones is probably the biggest potentially drawing matchup the UFC has, so there's no reason for it to be second fiddle to anyone short of Conor (the biggest draw in the history of the sport) just because of some personal issues between Dana and Jon.

 

[polyh3dron]

What a shit card. Rumble went in there half-assing it, did exactly what you should not do against DC, and then Weidman tried to game the system into a DQ win, got burned for it and cried about it. Pearl Gonzalez should've never been on an international Fight Pass prelim, let alone a PPV main card, and Alves/Cote was awful. Thiago should've retired at the same time as Cote making it 3 retiring fighters on a PPV main card.

some guys do get PPV points but I think that's more based on their contracts than match status. I think for some people it's just a prestige thing. And DC is right, DC/Bones is probably the biggest potentially drawing matchup the UFC has, so there's no reason for it to be second fiddle to anyone short of Conor (the biggest draw in the history of the sport) just because of some personal issues between Dana and Jon.

If you were running a MMA promotion could you trust Jon Jones to headline a PPV? Even if he doesn't get some personal legal issue, injury or USADA violation, he can't even be trusted to take a replacement opponent should something happen to DC.

 

[Jmanunknown]

Rhonda was a draw because of her undefeated record and her absolute demolishing of opponents whether they were legitimate or not. Lets also not pretend that the fact that she's attractive didn't add to her draw to a certain extent as well.

Mighty Mouse is neither undefeated nor does he demolish opponents regularly. In fact, he was middling as hell just one weight division higher.

The dude is Floyd Mayweather without the undefeated record, without the love/hate draw, and without being in a sport that has as large a percentage of the fans having an appreciation for the technical ability.

He's store bought Mac and Cheese. Serviceable but nobody is happy to pile more of that on their plate.

Mighty Mouse is not a boring fighter he's just a boring person he just cannot connect with the fans. Also calling him middling at Bantamweight is straight bs he was ranked third just below Cruz and Faber and gave Cruz a really good fight when he was in his prime before all of the knee injuries. I agree though he just cannot draw at all his inability to connect with the fans makes him unable to draw.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

What a shit card. Rumble went in there half-assing it, did exactly what you should not do against DC, and then Weidman tried to game the system into a DQ win, got burned for it and cried about it. Pearl Gonzalez should've never been on an international Fight Pass prelim, let alone a PPV main card, and Alves/Cote was awful. Thiago should've retired at the same time as Cote making it 3 retiring fighters on a PPV main card.

If you were running a MMA promotion could you trust Jon Jones to headline a PPV? Even if he doesn't get some personal legal issue, injury or USADA violation, he can't even be trusted to take a replacement opponent should something happen to DC.

Probably not, but if that's the case, I think the answer is to make Jones prove himself with a tune up fight rather than "punishing" DC over something he had nothing to do with.

 

[OnPoint]

Good for you, dude. Guess they were a bunch of homers.

Wasn't trying to brag haha Just saying, it was kind of uncomfortable.

I believe it's a U.S vs the world thing.

Got this impression too.

 

[Chumley]

Probably not, but if that's the case, I think the answer is to make Jones prove himself with a tune up fight rather than "punishing" DC over something he had nothing to do with.

That makes sense.

If Jones needs to run through a can to get a main event spot then just get it done, DC/Jones 2 will still end up happening before Conor fights again.

 

[Sato Koiji]

Let me get this clear: UFC 151 was cancelled because Jon didnt want to fight a replacement for an injured Dan Henderson. He was stripped of his championship and later AGAIN stripped of his interim belt and people talk about trusting Jon?

Im almost 100 % positive that there will be some sort of issue again later down the road.

UFC gives Jon a shot because they are desperate for a LHW draw and exciting fighter. He could win the belt and be stripped again and Dana will forgive him.

 

[iddqd]

Let me get this clear: UFC 151 was cancelled because Jon didnt want to fight a replacement for an injured Dan Henderson. He was stripped of his championship and later AGAIN stripped of his interim belt and people talk about trusting Jon?

Im almost 100 % positive that there will be some sort of issue again later down the road.

UFC gives Jon a shot because they are desperate for a LHW draw and exciting fighter. He could win the belt and be stripped again and Dana will forgive him.

While I agree with you that he is a fuck up, the bold part is the UFC being shitty and not Jon's fault.
No champion would take a surprise fight like that and the UFC were being terrible bullies with the "if you don't, you are not a real man/champ/at fault that we had a top sided event planned with nothing else on the card" rhetoric.

 

[DKehoe]

While I agree with you that he is a fuck up, the bold part is the UFC being shitty and not Jon's fault.
No champion would take a surprise fight like that and the UFC were being terrible bullies with the "if you don't, you are not a real man/champ/at fault that we had a top sided event planned with nothing else on the card" rhetoric.

Yeh I can't blame Jones for that one. The UFC fucked up by not having a deep enough card to cover for the injury and then blamed Jones for not being willing to shoulder the risk for them.

 

[Maklershed]

Lets not forget the part of the story where Hendo told Chael that he couldn't make it like 2-3 weeks out and Chael had been prepping for Jones. Meanwhile Jones finds out mere days before the ppv about the replacement.

 

[SwipeLeftHoney]

What a shit card. Rumble went in there half-assing it, did exactly what you should not do against DC, and then Weidman tried to game the system into a DQ win, got burned for it and cried about it. Pearl Gonzalez should've never been on an international Fight Pass prelim, let alone a PPV main card, and Alves/Cote was awful. Thiago should've retired at the same time as Cote making it 3 retiring fighters on a PPV main card.

If you were running a MMA promotion could you trust Jon Jones to headline a PPV? Even if he doesn't get some personal legal issue, injury or USADA violation, he can't even be trusted to take a replacement opponent should something happen to DC.

Rumble basically threw the fight so he could retire and go do whatever it is that awaits him outside the UFC. That's why his corner didn't stick around after the fight. Totally ignored the gameplan and took an L on purpose.