Ok, so what's the deal lately with some of the big name Pride fighters? When I think "Pride Fighter" I think explosive, aggressive, technically precise, and to put it in a nutshell an exciting showing of MMA skills and competition. I've always thought of UFC fighters as a general rule of thumb to be slower, sloppier, and far more tentative in their bouts.

So now what's the deal? Is it that some of them are just past their prime and aren't their former selves? Or is it true that so many fighters in Pride got away with using performance enhancing drugs, that Zuffa won't tolerate, and this is what they really have to offer?

When I first saw Cro Cop enter the Octagon against Sanchez, his showing was far from what I expected. My friend assured me that CC didn't take the fight seriously and was just toying with Sanchez trying to get his head kick, and finally got frustrated and just ended the fight. But against Gonzaga I'm afraid my initial reaction was correct. Cro Cop just wasn't going out there and doing what he does. Seemed out of his element.

The same can be said for Rampage, Wandy, Gomi, and Werdum. I don't know. Is it just me?

I think some of these guys believe their own hype too much.

How the hell does Cro Cop not train for cage?

Maybe he should get to the states and train in camp their.

Don't forget Hering has been less than stellar too.

Although Anderson Sylva (spelling) has been impressive as the 185 champ


It's not just Pride though. Arlovski hasn't impressed me lately either.

The same can be said for Rampage, Wandy, Gomi, and Werdum. I don't know. Is it just me?
'Roids?

Also, Werdum looked good though I don't know why he didn't try and force the ground right away. Rampage also looked good, and Gomi has always been a paper champion who gets his belt protected.

Do you think Werdum looked good? I think Arlovski looked like **** and did just enough point sparring to win.

It seemed to me Arlovski gave him too much repsect for his stand up and after Sylvia knocked him out has been afraid to trade with anyone.

But when they did trade Arlovski got the better of him.

'Roids?

Also, Werdum looked good though I don't know why he didn't try and force the ground right away. Rampage also looked good, and Gomi has always been a paper champion who gets his belt protected.

I don't know about 'Roids, but then again I'm not up and up on banned performance enhancing drugs (I hear Marijuana counts as one now?). But there have been a few Pride fighters caught with roids, yes?

And Rampage looked good to me, but just not that "Old Rampage" everyone talks about. The Rampage that looks like he's bursting with aggression and energy, that he'll pick you up over his head and slam the life out of you.

And I gotta follow Pride a bit better to know what you mean about Gomi. He's been protected against stiffer competition?

Do you think Werdum looked good? I think Arlovski looked like **** and did just enough point sparring to win.

It seemed to me Arlovski gave him too much repsect for his stand up and after Sylvia knocked him out has been afraid to trade with anyone.

But when they did trade Arlovski got the better of him.

Funny...I think Werdum respected Arlovski's takedown defense too much. Was watching his fight on youtube against little Emelianenko, and I liked the way he baited the punch and shot under it to clinch into an outside trip takedown. He didn't seem afraid so much to engage with hands, but moreso afraid to bring the fight to where he wants it.

I was more disappointed in Arlovski than I was Werdum.


Actually both fighters disappointed me.

I want to see Kongo VS Arlovski, either the old Arlovski will come back or he'll get KTFO

I sure didn't think Arlovski dominated to the extent Rogan et al. were saying. he landed a few more shots, sure, but he caught quite a few too. yeah, he "won," I guess, but in a way that makes me long for the old days. I just watched the Kimo-Severn fight from Pride 1, and it was a pretty similar snoozefest--30 minutes of dancing & unconvincing exchanges ... but even though Severn dominated Kimo far more than Arlovski did Werdum (landing many more shots & scoring two takedowns), the fight was ruled a draw. Also, the commentators back then (Bas Rutten & some other guy) were full of disdain the whole time, saying what a boring & stupid fight it was.

ya know what, ruling some of these snorefests draws instead of counting punches and measuring ring control might actually be somewhat of an incentive for some of these fighters to stop fighting to not lose and fight to win.

And Rampage looked good to me, but just not that "Old Rampage" everyone talks about. The Rampage that looks like he's bursting with aggression and energy, that he'll pick you up over his head and slam the life out of you.

I miss those days. Among my favorite quotes -

"I ain't never gonna take that belt off . . . " " . . . I'll be the shower, wearing that Pride championship belt . . . " "I'll be fucking your mama, wearing the Pride championship belt"

"Wanderlei, ever had your ass kicked by a black man? That **** hurts . . . "

And Rampage looked good to me, but just not that "Old Rampage" everyone talks about. The Rampage that looks like he's bursting with aggression and energy, that he'll pick you up over his head and slam the life out of you.
That Rampage has been gone ever since the first time Wanderlei brutalized him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN3z091SyBY

I love the way he talks, guy is fucking hilarious. If he ever retires he needs to become a commentator or something

There's a KOTC event where he and Don Frye are commentating. I laughed so much I could hardly pay attention to the fight.

I think the cage is a big problem for some of those guys (lacking of training for it maybe?). That, and the fact that the rules are different in UFC. I have no idea what happened with Werdum. He beat Aleks buy sub. so I expected him to do the same to AA. At any rate, CC, Werdum, etc doesn't mean anything as far as Pride vs UFC goes. If these fights happened under pride rules, who knows, maybe the opposite would've happened. At the end of the day, this is MMA, and anything can happen at any time. I never thought GSP would lose to Serra, but it doesn't make me think that GSP sucks or anything like that.

hahaha man I fucking love Quinton Jackson. Check out the UFC 67 interview about booing from the crowd.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA5YU8HwjCI

Oh man, Rampage rules.