Re: UFC 76
I wouldn't call Shogun's style wild. He's extremely aggressive and keeps a very high pace, but he doesn't really just swing away.
[ QUOTE ]
Pride vs. UFC guys seems to be very high variance in particular. The 'favorite', be it a big fav or a small fav, has lost a lot. Quenton was not expected to win, Big Nog nearly got KTFO'd, CC is down and out, Gomi vs. Diaz, etc etc. Whenever a guy switches orgs, i believe the variance increases, and I think bridge jumping lines become more inappropriate.
[/ QUOTE ]
I don't think Nog/Herring is a very good example here. Nog got caught by a kick/knee as he ducked down, but he completely dominated that fight from start to finish.
If you mean Quinton wasn't expected to win against Chuck, I personally had him winning before that fight. Don't really understand why what was expected matters, as he went out and beat him again.
The only other guys that have come over and fought (I might be missing people, I just went through the fighters list from the Pride FC wiki page):
Fabricio Werdum: 0-1, loss to Arlovski
Anderson Silva: 4-0, wins over Leben, Franklin, Lutter, Marquardt
While they aren't perfect comparisons as fighters, I think Shogun is gonna follow a path more similar to A. Silva than Cro Cop.
I just don't think Griffin has much of a chance with Shogun. You say that "Griffin loves this type of fight," but when has Shogun been a standup-only fighter? Shogun has a very solid ground game. Will the rules change hurt him? Maybe, but Chutebox fighters have always trained with elbows. I see Shogun being better in every facet of MMA - he's better standing up, he's better in the clinch, he's better at GNP, and he's better off his back.
[ QUOTE ]
It's just harder than normal to reference skill set vs. skill set with limited common opponent, and different rules/environments.
[/ QUOTE ]
Shogun has fought in a cage (IFC tournament) and under the unified rules twice in Pride (albeit in a ring).
You were right about Kongo though, so maybe I'm way off. I just don't think Forrest can touch Shogun right now.
|