UFC 131 Fight Card

[Parkbandit]

Pay-Per-View Bouts
Junior Dos Santos vs. Shane Carwin
Jon Olav Einemo vs. Dave Herman
Vagner Rocha vs. Donald Cerrone
Demian Maia vs. Mark Munoz
Kenny Florian vs. Diego Nunes

Spike TV Preliminary Bouts
Sam Stout vs. Yves Edwards
Jesse Bongfeldt vs. Chris Weidman

Preliminary Bouts
Dustin Poirier vs. Jason Young
Krzystof Soszynksi vs. Mike Massenzio
Nick Ring vs. James Head
Joey Beltran vs. Aaron Rosa
Darren Elkins vs. Michihiro Omigawa


Besides the Main Event.. this card seems pretty.. meh.

[Drew]

I like this card.

[NocturnalRob]

Eh, I'm hesitant to do so, but I tend to agree with PB here. Some name recognition, but not many good matchups. I don't think Carwin should have too much trouble with JDS, but who knows? Will take a closer look tonight.

[Drew]

I like these two fights:

Demian Maia vs. Mark Munoz
Kenny Florian vs. Diego Nunes


and the main event.

[NocturnalRob]

Kenny Florian vs. Diego Nunes
It'll be interesting to see Florian at featherweight. Nunes should still shit on him quite handily.

[drigore]

If anyone wants the P2P links, they'll be up a little bit before the fight.

http://myp2p.eu/broadcast.php?matchid=119801&part=sports

[Sam]

I think this a pretty good card. Not a lot of name recognition if you don't follow MMA closely, but I think there are some intriguing match ups.

I like both heavyweight fights on the main cards, because they're all pretty massive guys. I think JDS will put Carwin away rather handily due to much more technical striking, but then again, I've never seen him get hit with a solid punch. Carwin's not someone you want to test your chin against.

I've never seen Einemo fight, but I'm glad he's not facing Carwin since he's been inactive for nearly half a decade.

my picks: JDS, Herman, Rocha, Munoz, Florian, Stout

[NocturnalRob]

Stout
No. Just...no.

[Sam]

No. Just...no.

Yves Edwards is just too inconsistent. Sure maybe he had a sweet head kick KO over Josh Thomson, but that was like 7 years ago.

[NocturnalRob]

Yves Edwards is just too inconsistent. Sure maybe he had a sweet head kick KO over Josh Thomson, but that was like 7 years ago.
Inconsistent? Stout has compiled a super impressive 5-5 record over the course of his UFC career. Edwards is 8-4. Edwards also has a much better ground game. You could argue that Stout has marginally better striking, but only marginal. This is going to go to the ground, and Edwards will win by decision.

eta: Also, Stout hasn't finished a fight in the UFC in 5 years. 5 years...no way he wins if he goes the distance with Edwards, so...hope for lightning to strike?

[Sam]

Edwards has had 4 fights in the UFC in the last 5 years. He lost two of them, beat a TUF scrub, and beat a guy who has never won in the UFC.

You really think his UFC wins from over 8 years ago mean something today? At least now I have a reason to somewhat care about an insignificant fight.

Honestly, are there some fights you can point me to where he's looked impressive against decent competition? Maybe I haven't seen the right ones.

[Sam]

"From this day forward, as we speak right here, right now today, every fight that is a main event that is not a title fight will be a five-round fight"

This just came out today. Obviously it won't apply to already scheduled bouts, like Saturday's.

I can see this decision making me sad much more often than not, though.

[Buckwheet]

I am not sure I like that. It means there could be less fights aired or longer airtime with more boring fights.

Several of the last fights that went to decision were just horribly boring.

[Fallen]

This just came out today. Obviously it won't apply to already scheduled bouts, like Saturday's.

I can see this decision making me sad much more often than not, though.

I think this is an excellent change. It will mean less decisions overall.

[NocturnalRob]

I think this is an excellent change. It will mean less decisions overall.
Fewer decisions too.

And if you're going to headline an event, you should be able to go 5 rounds. Hell, if you're going to fight professionally, you should be able to go 5 rounds. I have no problem with this change.

Somewhere, BJ Penn is crying.

[Sam]

I think it's a good change for those non title bouts that have serious implications. Maybe I'm just being pessimistic, but I foresee being bummed out by watching 5 boring rounds instead of 3 more often than I'll be saying, "thankfully there are two more rounds in this fight!".

From my experience, main event fights are rarely among the most exciting on most UFC cards. Hopefully fight picks will be adjusted accordingly.

[Buckwheet]

5 rounds of Frank vs Big Country.

Not appealing.

[NocturnalRob]

I think it's a good change for those non title bouts that have serious implications. Maybe I'm just being pessimistic, but I foresee being bummed out by watching 5 boring rounds instead of 3 more often than I'll be saying, "thankfully there are two more rounds in this fight!".

From my experience, main event fights are rarely among the most exciting on most UFC cards. Hopefully fight picks will be adjusted accordingly.
The last 10 or so main events have been pretty damn boring. I'm trying to think of which ones ended in TKOs...Silva/Belfort and Jones/Rua. Are there any others? And there were a couple of draws in there too? I mean...come on. That's pretty damn lame.

[Sam]

I'd really like to see them implement a standard finishing bonus. Even then, main event fighters usually aren't making a shitty amount, so bonuses are less motivating. But at least we'd see a shift in fighting style amongst up and coming (poor) fighters, which would hopefully stick with them when the reach main event status.

Pride style "stalling" penalties could help too, but then you'd have the problem of poor discretion on the part of the referees. Despite that, I still think stalling should be addressed in the rules.

[Latrinsorm]

I feel like the UFC referees (in general) have a much better grasp of fighting than the judges - I'd much rather rely on their discretion if I had to pick one. I also feel like the must 10 system is unbelievably archaic, stupid, and out of place in MMA. At the same time, I Believe in Dana White, so we'll see.

[NocturnalRob]

Welp, here goes.

Carwin, Cerrone, Munoz, Herman, Edwards, Florian, Ring, Elkins, Poirier

[Sam]

change of heart?


It'll be interesting to see Florian at featherweight. Nunes should still shit on him quite handily.

[NocturnalRob]

change of heart?
Eh, he didn't look quite as awful at the weigh-ins as I thought he would. I still have doubts about that fight.

I read somewhere that this is his 4th weight class? I can only remember 3.

[Sam]

Yeah he looked better than I thought he would too. Actually, without looking back at old pics, I thought that was the most athletic looking I've ever seen him.

I think Joe Rogan said during the weigh in that he was the only UFC fighter to fight in 4 weight classes.

[NocturnalRob]

Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to watch the main card live (marathon tomorrow), but I think there should be a few decent fights.

[Drew]

"From this day forward, as we speak right here, right now today, every fight that is a main event that is not a title fight will be a five-round fight"



I have been asking for this since the very first time I watched modern era UFC. This is a great decision in my mind.

[Sam]

FYI, the prelims are airing now on facebook.

[Sam]

And we start off the night with a terrible decision.

[Parkbandit]

Welp, here goes.

Carwin, Cerrone, Munoz, Herman, Edwards, Florian, Ring, Elkins, Poirier

Carwin, Cerrone, Munoz, Einemo, Stout, Nunes... probably already too late for the others.

[Sam]

Rob will like that.

[NocturnalRob]

Ow

[Parkbandit]

No. Just...no.

Heh...

I think Stout may have killed Edwards with that shot.

[Sam]

No. Just...no. :lol:

[NocturnalRob]

That may put Edward into retirement.

[NocturnalRob]

So I'm 3-1 tonight so far? Blow me.

[Parkbandit]

Ow.

Ow.

[Parkbandit]

Did Rocha just do the "GET IN MY GUARD!" maneuver?

[Sam]

Did Rocha just do the "GET IN MY GUARD!" maneuver?

Hell, his leg is probably fractured. I'd do that too.

edit: no standup at all, but those were some amusing slaps he threw.

[Sam]

needs more cardio

edit: that was pretty entertaining though, since it was so back and forth. Herman is funny to watch.

[Parkbandit]

Dear Einemo... work on your cardio.. you fat fucking gassed out "viking" you..

[Drew]

That Einamo vs Herman fight was thrilling!!

[kookiegod]

Herman, fight of the night, awesome awesome fight

[Parkbandit]

Maia looks great tonight. He must be on steroids.

[Sam]

Maia looks great tonight. He must be on steroids.

His striking is much improved since this fight:
http://rubbermallet.org/maiamarquardt.gif

[Parkbandit]

Not sure how one of the judges scored it 30-27.. but I did think Munoz won.

Now let's see how Florian does... he looked like skin and bones at the weigh in.

[Sam]

Nunes sure flinches a lot.

[Parkbandit]

My stream just took a shit. :(

[Sam]

Inconsistent? Stout has compiled a super impressive 5-5 record over the course of his UFC career. Edwards is 8-4. Edwards also has a much better ground game. You could argue that Stout has marginally better striking, but only marginal. This is going to go to the ground, and Edwards will win by decision.

eta: Also, Stout hasn't finished a fight in the UFC in 5 years. 5 years...no way he wins if he goes the distance with Edwards, so...hope for lightning to strike?

:rofl:

[Sam]

my stream is going strong, but it's not totally free.. it's pretty cheap though. http://live247.tv

Pretty good if you watch other sports too according to the person I let use it. I just use it for MMA, and have never had any issues like having to hop to different streams when doing free shit (especially when it gets toward the main event and more people are watching).

[Sam]

Awesome to get a chance to see Florian against a new group of guys at 145. I think he finally has a chance at getting a belt.

[Parkbandit]

I'm surprised Florian had that much gas for dropping all that weight.

[Drew]

Yeah Florian looks pretty tough. He took some stiff shots and kept coming. Amazing stamina for the amount of weight he cut.

[Drew]

my stream is going strong, but it's not totally free.. it's pretty cheap though. http://live247.tv

Pretty good if you watch other sports too according to the person I let use it. I just use it for MMA, and have never had any issues like having to hop to different streams when doing free shit (especially when it gets toward the main event and more people are watching).

Live247 isn't taking new members anymore.

[Sam]

Live247 isn't taking new members anymore.

Probably got the heat on 'em. I expected them to get shutdown long before now actually.

[Drew]

Probably got the heat on 'em. I expected them to get shutdown long before now actually.

I remember reading the announcement like 6 months ago saying they are happy with the amount of users they have. I think they are trying to stay under the radar and not be the biggest target.

[Drew]

I don't know who I'm rooting for in this fight. I don't like Carwin but Dos Santos always looks kind of like a turd.

[Sam]

Carwin's little duck/feint then charge just reminded me of Bald Bull.

[Sam]

Wow. That would have been a justifiable stoppage..

[Parkbandit]

4 minutes of sheer boredom... followed by 30 seconds of "I can't believe the ref isn't calling this fight"

[Parkbandit]

Carwin's nose looks broken... and he keeps taking the jab to it.

[Sam]

Hmm he took that head kick well.. I'd like to see what got him so dazed in the first round, 'cause i didn't even see a big punch.

[Parkbandit]

Pretty boring fight...

[Drew]

Amazing he made it that long with a hamburger face like that.

[Sam]

I should know by now that when both fighters say "someone is going to get knocked out" that basically guarantees a decision.

[Sam]

sweet I get to see Yves Edwards die again.

[NocturnalRob]

So, 7-2? I'll take it.

[Fallen]

sweet I get to see Yves Edwards die again.

This. He was scary unconscious.

[Sam]

http://imgboot.com/images/jstyles/samstoutktfoyvesedwardsufc131.gif