Hidehiko Yoshida vs. Rulon Gardner

[TylerDurden]

Gardner caught Karelin at the end of his career. In his prime that match lasts about 30 seconds with Gardner getting slammed and pinned. I want to see him try that stalling garbage in the ring, and get hammered in the face in the process. Yoshida by tap out in the first round.

[Matt W.]

Hey, I don't think anyone would deny that Karelin would have won in his prime, but people who don't know anything about Rulon's wrestling career apart from that one match should stop making judgements. He is NOT a staller. He did not stall in his matches this Olympics, nor has he made a career of stalling for wins in his other matches and Olympic qualifiers.

It so happens I predict Yosh, too. However, that is because Judo is already closer to MMA (with it's subs) than Greco that doesn;t even allow you to attack the legs.

[TylerDurden]

He won the bronze last time on stalling as well. That's his entire game plan. Push and stall, wait until the other guy is tired from attacking then win by a point.

[Matt W.]

You're simply wrong. He did not stall in that match. And he won it 3-0.

[The Wastrel]

Travesty? *snort* Look, no one is excited by a win by stalling. But first, stalling in Greco ain't like lay and pray in sub wrestling. It still takes lots of energy and Rulon tired Karelin out. After, Karelin looked tired and Rulon was turning cartwheels. Second, Rulon beat him fair and square. Karelin wasn't robbed by a bad judges decision or anything like that. And third, Rulon is legit. That win over Karelin wasn't a fluke. He wrestled a tough match to face Karelin in the Gold medal round and came back this year to win bronze. Is Rulon the wrestler Karelin was overall? No. But he deserved that medal and he is one of America's top wrestlers period.

I was trying to be funny, Matt, and you almost ruined it. Fortunately your kneejerk nationalistic response was funny enough to keep it going.

[Matt W.]

How was my post nationalistic? Because I said he was one of America's top wrestlers? He is. Our wrestling program here in the states is sub-par compared to the rest of the world. By medaling in 2 Olympics he is one of our top wrestlers.

Now, I could see if I had started going off on "Ruskies" or something, but come on. You're slipping, man.

[The Wastrel]

How was my post nationalistic? Because I said he was one of America's top wrestlers? He is. Our wrestling program here in the states is sub-par compared to the rest of the world. By medaling in 2 Olympics he is one of our top wrestlers.

Now, I could see if I had started going off on "Ruskies" or something, but come on. You're slipping, man.

Because Rulon's AMER-KUHN-NESS is the only reason you got so unhinged about a joke, and missed the staggering self-parody in my wholly ironic post.

[Matt W.]

I prefer Amer-KA-ness, thank you. Otherwise, I think my feelings can best be summed up by a line from Malcom X, delivered by the great Denzel Washington.

*get's into character*

"Alright. Forget about it. ... But you slippin' Archie. You done slipped."

Also, congrats on the psychic powers.

[Matt W.]

And don't make me have to add a smiley to that last comment, Wastrel. You're above that.

[The Wastrel]

I prefer Amer-KA-ness, thank you. Otherwise, I think my feelings can best be summed up by a line from Malcom X, delivered by the great Denzel Washington.

*get's into character*

"Alright. Forget about it. ... But you slippin' Archie. You done slipped."

Also, congrats on the psychic powers.

They're not psychic powers. They're highly developed mental faculties that are natural and provable by science. Partially the result of hundreds of years of selective breeding, partially cultivated by participation in a government program to create a mental version of Captain America.

And don't make me have to add a smiley to that last comment, Wastrel. You're above that.

Quite right.

[dadaggie]

I don't know if he'll be able to develope submission defence by then......Yoshida obviusly isn't a top striker but he went the whole way with Silva without getting drilled by a knee or a punch so hes got the advantage there. They both have the best clinch games....I dunno it seems to me Rulon's only advantage is size.

Obviously, the bloodly nose Yoshida got was from breathing hard

[Mox_Mox]

As far as I know Gardner is not training in Gresham. Should be cool but I don't know what kinda of sub defense he is going to have. It has equal chances of being an awesome fight and a total crapfest.

God I hope this gets some mainstream media attention.

[Bizzaro Root]

Travesty? *snort* Look, no one is excited by a win by stalling. But first, stalling in Greco ain't like lay and pray in sub wrestling. It still takes lots of energy and Rulon tired Karelin out. After, Karelin looked tired and Rulon was turning cartwheels. Second, Rulon beat him fair and square. Karelin wasn't robbed by a bad judges decision or anything like that. And third, Rulon is legit. That win over Karelin wasn't a fluke. He wrestled a tough match to face Karelin in the Gold medal round and came back this year to win bronze. Is Rulon the wrestler Karelin was overall? No. But he deserved that medal and he is one of America's top wrestlers period.


not to mention he broke his wrist 2-3 months before the olympics(04) in a motocycle crash. he atributted his wrestling skills to saving his life in the accident. he beat karelin in 00 and it wasnt a travesty is wasnt a fluke, was rulon better than karelin, right then yes. but overall i think we all know karelin was the best up tell that point. he hadnt lost in what 20 years up till there. and it had been 11 years or so since anyone had scored on him, so you saying it was a fluke or stalling just makes karelin look bad.

[Bizzaro Root]

He won the bronze last time on stalling as well. That's his entire game plan. Push and stall, wait until the other guy is tired from attacking then win by a point.

so he plays by the rules gets points when people get tired and then wins on those points. thats like saying that the yankees are stalling by getting one point in the first inning and then pitching around all the good players and getting outs and then winning on that one point lead.

your whining about him wearing down opponents and then winning on points, fuck thats what wrestling is.

[Punisher]

I am really surprised at the lack of main stream press about this. I figured if there was a way to get MMA mentioned on Sportscenter (other than someone dying or Mike Tyson fighting) this would be it. But so far I haven't seen or read anything.

Maybe I'm off base, but I really don't give Rulon much of a chance. He's big, he's strong, and he can obiviously wrestle, but I think Yoshida is going to tap hit out with fairly little trouble. I hope I'm wrong but I see him like a Mark Hunt, able to power out of a submission or two but not really knowing prevent the attempt from ever happening. Rulon eventually might be able to become good at MMA but I think Yoshida is too much to chew for his first fight.

As for his long term potential, I also have a couple of concerns. One is his age. He's almost 35, that doesn't give him a whole lot of time to work with. Also he has it pretty sweet with the US Olympic Committe. He has a future in coaching and training the next generation of Olympians. That makes me think he might not be going into this as carrer change, but a single big payday.

[TylerDurden]

The problem is how much attention do Olympians get in non Olympic years? Not much. Rulon will not draw major attention because he is not a major celebrity in non Olympic years. Now if they could get someone like, Kobe Bryant or Bret Farve, they would get some real attention. Kobe vs Vanderlei, I would like to see that.