Billed: On the night before the biggest football game of the year, UFC takes center stage with an immense night of hard-hitting heavyweight fight action. At UFC 81, former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir will put wrestling superstar Brock Lesnar to the ultimate test, as Lesnar makes his move from the squared circle into the Octagon to prove that he is for real. Then, the new UFC heavyweight king will be decided as Tim “The Maine-iac” Sylvia faces Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira for the Interim UFC Heavyweight Title. Televised Card: Heavyweight (206-lbs) interim championship: Tim "The Maine-iac" Sylvia vs. Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira Heavyweight (206-lbs): Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir Middleweight (185-lbs): Alan "The Talent" Belcher vs. Ricardo "Cachorrao" Almeida Middleweight (185-lbs): Nate "The Great" Marquardt vs. Jeremy "Gumby" Horn Preliminary Card: Lightweight (155-lbs): Tyson Griffin vs. Gleison Tibau Welterweight (170-lbs): Chris "Lights-Out" Lytle vs. Kyle Bradley Middleweight (185-lbs): Marvin "The Beastman" Eastman vs. Terry Martin Lightweight (155-lbs): Keita "K-Taro" Nakamura vs. Rob "The Saint" Emerson Light Heavyweight (205-lbs): David Heath vs. Tim Boetsch
wow talk about a weak looking card. Horn vs Marquart should be getting co-main event billing IMO but it could be a ground snooze fest as a lot of the times 2 great grapplers= negating each other out rather than great ground action. Mir will either sub brock in 2-3 mins or it'll be a lay and pray fest by Brock.
I expect the Tim/Nog match to be boring, with Tim pushing Nog against the cage and jabbing, and Nog failing to get take downs. The Mir/Lesnar fight should be out of steam within 90 seconds. After that Brock will lay on him for two-plus rounds. The Marquardt/Horn fight should be a rolling exhibition for three rounds. The only hope for this card is Tibau/Griffin.
agreed, I'm hoping Nog is a little more aggressive and he's been training with the Cuban boxing team so his standup may be good enough to make this a good match. Lord knows he can take a beating and still win
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Looks like Alan Belcher won't be competing at this event on Saturday, replaced at the last minute by Rob Yundt. Belcher has bronchitis.
Overall this is a weak card but I'm starting to get amped about watching it Saturday night and then spending Sunday on the couch watching football.
So who is this Mir cat? He's a former heavy weight that got in a bike accident? Hasn't been the same since? Is he a McNealy? I'd order the PPV for Brock but not if it's going to be over before the third round. Maybe I'll wait for the next GSP to spend my hard earned dough. Do you guys think Brock can take a punch?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (shookem @ Feb 1 2008, 09:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>So who is this Mir cat? He's a former heavy weight that got in a bike accident? Hasn't been the same since? Is he a McNealy? I'd order the PPV for Brock but not if it's going to be over before the third round. Maybe I'll wait for the next GSP to spend my hard earned dough. Do you guys think Brock can take a punch?</div> that's the big question. Can Brock take a punch. lucky for him Mir is a ground expert with decent not great striking so chances are he won't get KO'ed on his feet. if you can't get a handful of guys to chip in for the PPV, then yeah I'd wait and catch the next PPV with Dan Henderson vs Anderson Silva. It's a stacked, STACKED card. p.s. still go here http://sportstwo.com/forums/UFC-81-Breakin...Pr-t110827.html and make you predictions for the fights
Everybody made weight. * Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (237) vs. Tim Sylvia (261) * Brock Lesnar (265) vs. Frank Mir (255) * Jeremy Horn (185) vs. Nate Marquardt (185) * Ricardo Almeida (185) vs. Rob Yundt (185) * Tyson Griffin (155) vs. Gleison Tibau (156) * Kyle Bradley (170) vs. Chris Lytle (170) * Tim Boetsch (205) vs. David Heath (205) * Marvin Eastman (185) vs. Terry Martin (186) * Rob Emerson (155) vs. Keita Nakamura (155) As Joe Rogan would say, Frank Mir looks shredded.
just watched the weigh ins at UFC.com.. and yup he looks ready. still I thin Lesnar will be too strong and Mir will gas.
Brock is getting paid $250,000 for the fight with a $200,000 win bonus. Mir get's $40k + $40k while Nog and Sylvia are being paid $100K + $100K Brock also had to custom order 4 XL gloves for his hands. Only the 2nd MMA fighter to require them in the state of Nevada. The other being 7'3" Hang Choi Man.
This should be interesting to see how Brock does in a real fight. He should be on a lot of pressure since this is he's debut to the UFC.
Wow! That was an exciting event. Seems as though stacked cards are mediocre because you expect so much, and light cards are fantastic because you're happy with whatever you get. Or maybe it's me? Anyways, Lesnar/Mir was as exciting a fight as I've seen. Not so much in what they did, just in the anticipation and in not knowing what will happen. The title fight was great, too. Classic Big Nog. I don't like that he's been floored in both his UFC fights but the guy is indestructible.
Results: Robert Emerson d. Keita Nakamura via Decision (Split), 3rd round, 5:00 Marvin Eastman d. Terry Martin via Decision (Unanimous), 3rd round, 5:00 Tim Boetsch d. David Heath via TKO (Strikes), 1st round, 4:52 Chris Lytle d. Kyle Bradley via TKO (Strikes), 1st round, 0:33 Tyson Griffin d. Gleison Tibau via Decision (Unanimous), 3rd round, 5:00 Ricardo Almeida d. Rob Yundt via Submission (Guillotine Choke), 1st round, 1:08 Nathan Marquardt d. Jeremy Horn via Submission (Guillotine Choke), 2nd round, 1:37 Frank Mir d. Brock Lesnar via Submission (Kneebar), 1st round, 1:30 Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira d. Tim Sylvia via Submission (Guillotine Choke), 3rd round, 1:28
That Chris Lytle fight was BAD! I was laughing when the other guy had ahold of the Ref after he stoped it. Didnt even know where he was at. Brock, I was tellin everyone who would listen to me that his arm was going to get snaped...I was wrong but I bet his ankle is throbing right now.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ed the Decider @ Feb 3 2008, 01:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>That Chris Lytle fight was BAD! I was laughing when the other guy had ahold of the Ref after he stoped it. Didnt even know where he was at. Brock, I was tellin everyone who would listen to me that his arm was going to get snaped...I was wrong but I bet his ankle is throbing right now.</div> Chris Lytle got the "KO of the Night" bonus, too. Mir gets the "Sub of the Night" and Nogueira/Sylvia get "Fight of the Night". Each fighter gets a record $60,000 bonus, the most the UFC has ever awarded.