UFC 77: Hostile Territory :: 10/20, Cincinnati [R]

[Bison1997]

Live Matches:
Middleweight Title: Champion Anderson Silva vs. Rich Franklin
Tim Sylvia vs. Brandon Vera
Stephan Bonnar vs. Eric Schafer
Alan Belcher vs. Kalib Starnes

Taped Matches:
Jason MacDonald vs. Yushin Okami
Josh Burkman vs. Forrest Petz
Jorge Gurgel vs. Alvin Robinson
Ryan Jensen vs. Demian Maia
Jason Black vs. Matt Grice

-- Poor, poor Rich Franklin. I think Silva's too much for him.

-- Sylvia's never really impressed me. He's just big.

-- I've gotta think Bonnar's starting to run out of chances.

-- Hopefully Gurgel's knee is back in one piece.

[BigGuy]

Jason MacDonald vs. Yushin Okami

I believe this should have been one of the live matches these are not 2 stiffs fighting.

Poor, poor Rich Franklin. I think Silva's too much for him.

Key for Franklin is not to get tied up in the clinch. If he can avoid that he can win.

[TheSlipperyOne]

I don't think I'll be ordering this fight. May watch it at a bar though.

I think Silva could demolish Franklin again.

I have no interest watching Sylvia fight. Even if it is against The Truth.

I can't believe MacDonald v. Okami isn't a live fight. That's ridiculous.

I'm tired of Bonnar.

Kalib Starnes getting a live fight?

[TheSlipperyOne]

Anyone going to watch this tonight?

I'm heading to watch at a bar with some guys.

I've been looking forward to watching Vera fight again because he looked great up until this 11 month layoff. Hopefully Sylvia will actually fight.

Talk is the winner of this will be one of the guys fighting for the heavyweight belt in Feb.

Spider has looked great since defeating Franklin. Franklin has looked decent in his 2 fights since but Spider looked amazing in his 2. Let's see what Rich can bring.

[Bison1997]

Stuck working all weekend, but I'm about to check this show out as well.

-- Yeah, the main event totally depends on which Rich Franklin shows up. If the Rich Franklin that beat up the whole Middleweight division shows up, it'll be hell of a fight. If the Rich Franklin that dropped the title to Silva shows up, it won't be.

-- Sylvia's a real test for Vera, due to size if nothing else. I think Vera's got what it takes, though.

-- Let's get it on!

[ssanchez]

Saw the show, was not impressed this time. I think especially compared to the last one it looks even worse. If the Mods add the R I will get into details about the fights themselves.

[BigGuy]

People love to talk about game plan in MMA. What was Franklyn's game plan? Knock him out before he got him in the clinch? This guy has an iron grip he grabs the back of your neck your done finished unless you have a real game plan that might work..

What about when he has that grip and wants to knee you using that grip catching his knee with your arm and then straightening out as you lean back putting Anderson on his toes with the one standing leg that he had left . Then sweeping that leg with one of franklyns legs taking Silva to the floor and immediately put on a leg lock on him. I would have considered that a real game plan. What do you guys think?

[Bison1997]

Saw the show, was not impressed this time. I think especially compared to the last one it looks even worse. If the Mods add the R I will get into details about the fights themselves.

Done and done - talk away, I'll chime in later on today.

[TheSlipperyOne]

I really don't want to see Sylvia fight for the heavyweight title.

Let me rephrase that. I really don't want to see Sylvia do nothing for 5 rounds.

[ssanchez]

Done and done - talk away, I'll chime in later on today.

Thanks,
I thought most of the fights were weak. Only one fight really caught my attention and i honestly can't remeber who was fighting. Silvia Is big good striker but not UFC level ground fighter. I just don't find him to be an entertaining fighter and I think that is why he gets booed.
The Franklin fight was well basically a televised sparing match for Silva.
Not a chance in hell.
The most entertaining part for me was seeing Wandy and Noguera.

[Bison1997]

I really don't want to see Sylvia fight for the heavyweight title.

Let me rephrase that. I really don't want to see Sylvia do nothing for 5 rounds.

I love the fact that Sylvia goes out there and uses his size to smother Vera for three rounds and then gets all mopey when the crowd boos him for doing nothing. You'd think he'd figure out the correlation there.

Not the best show, but some fun stuff on it:

-- That divot in Kalib Starnes' head was nasty. If the Doctor actually saw Starnes' skull like was claimed, then yeah it had to be stopped.

-- Stephan Bonnar wasn't spectacular or anything in his fight, but certainly better than Eric Schafer.

-- Jorge Gurgel started his fight out great - not sure what happened after, but he mailed in rounds two and three.

-- Yep, Sylvia sucks. Vera should stay at heavyweight, though - there's a whole lot of talent at 205.

-- Rich Franklin is in a tough spot - he's better than everyone else at 185, but has no chance in hell of beating Anderson Silva. Who gets the next crack at Silva? Can White convince Dan Henderson to cut back down to 185 (He was Pride's champion at 205 and 185)?

[TheSlipperyOne]

I love the fact that Sylvia goes out there and uses his size to smother Vera for three rounds and then gets all mopey when the crowd boos him for doing nothing. You'd think he'd figure out the correlation there.


That's what makes me hate him all the more. At least when guys like Cro Cop or Arlovski suck it up and fight poorly they admit it.


-- Yep, Sylvia sucks. Vera should stay at heavyweight, though - there's a whole lot of talent at 205.


Vera at 205 could be interesting but I agree that he should stay at heavyweight.


Who gets the next crack at Silva? Can White convince Dan Henderson to cut back down to 185 (He was Pride's champion at 205 and 185)?


It'd be great to see Henderson there or maybe GSP would move to 185, but he really likes where he's at.

Other than them Silva could have a long reign as the champ.