UFC 97: Redemption

[Pappy Knuckles]

Main Card
Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites
Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio Rua
Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brian Stann
Cheick Kongo vs. Antoni Hardonk
Steve Cantwell vs. Luiz Cane

Undercard
Elliot Marshall vs. Vinicius Magalhaes
Denis Kang vs. Xavier Foupa-Pokam
Jason MacDonald vs. Nate Quarry
David Loiseau vs. Ed Herman
Mark Bocek vs. David Bielkheden
Ryo Chonan vs. TJ Grant
Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman

Pappy's Notes

- Anderson Silva by flying crescent kick. Well maybe not, but I expect nothing less than an impressive victory for King Silva. I don't celebrate Christmas anymore, but watching him fight reminds me of opening presents as a kid. I can't wait.

- Chuck vs. Shogun, talk about two guys really needing a W. Shogun used to be one of my favorite fighters back in his Pride days, but now he looks like a bum. Chuck is coming fresh off one of the most brutal KO's I've seen in a while against Sugar Shad. I just hope that both of these guys look good regardless of the victor. I'm leaning towards Chuck though.

- I really hope we get to see Ed Herman vs. Loiseau because I've been wanting to see The Crow back in UFC for a while now. Ed Herman is a tough dude and he always comes to fight. I know that's gonna be great one. The elbows and spin kicks have returned!

- Denis Kang vs. Xavier Foupa-Pokam. I don't know really anything about Pokam, but I have enjoyed watching Kang in the past. This is another undercard fight I hope we get to watch.

- If his last fight was any indication, Elliot Marshall is going to kill Vinny.

- Kongo and Hardonk have both been known to disappoint in the past. However, this is a must-win for Kongo if he wants that title shot. I think he'll take this one easily.

[allBthere]

Re: UFC 97: Redemption

Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites
Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio Rua
Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brian Stann
Cheick Kongo vs. Antoni Hardonk
Steve Cantwell vs. Luiz Cane

Undercard
Elliot Marshall vs. Vinicius Magalhaes
Denis Kang vs. Xavier Foupa-Pokam
Jason MacDonald vs. Nate Quarry **why is this an undercard?
David Loiseau vs. Ed Herman
Mark Bocek vs. David Bielkheden
Ryo Chonan vs. TJ Grant
Sam Stout vs. Matt Wiman


my notes;

I expect Silva to win, but don't know how or when. I hope he gets rocked or close to submitted though before winning to make it interesting

I think Chuck will win. Despite what I've said in the past about Chuck needing to retire he's got a couple of things going for him. His stamina is very good still, and certainly better than Rua's - and he doesn't seem to lose all his power in his punches super quickly. I actually think chuck may take rua down since he seriously talked about changing his game ---at least keep yer hands up man! One last thing about chuck is this...his chin is not glass imo - seeing replays of those shots he took would have put anyone away (esp. shad's punch)...it's more the psychological factor and his absolute ish defence, ..not a garbage chin.

I hope Loiseau beats up Ed the 'i'm annoying' herman.

I'm giving Hardonk a chance since he may not have to worry so much about being taken down and he is a decent kickboxer/mauy. In the end though, neither imo is the future.

In the end the main event looks like it should swap some of the undercard fights in there. Just because if Kongo wins he gets closer to a title shot, doesn't mean it's a fight worth seeing over some of the other ones. Why is Jason Macdonald vs Nate Quarry not on the main card?

[Darkleaf]

Re: UFC 97: Redemption

I can't wait to see those Loiseau elbows carve that goon Hermans face to ****. It's Crow time baby!!

[DJ]

Re: UFC 97: Redemption

I just want to see Liddell lose as the UFC really needs Shogun to revert back to his old self. You get him clicking again and the LHW division gets even more interesting.

I like Chuck, but he's had his time and he's too stubborn to adapt his style, and thus, is getting beat pretty much every time out. If he weren't Dana's golden boy, he'd be in prelims by now.

Oh, and Anderson will get back to his dominating ways.

[Pappy Knuckles]

Re: UFC 97: Redemption

[B]Just because if Kongo wins he gets closer to a title shot, doesn't mean it's a fight worth seeing over some of the other ones. Why is Jason Macdonald vs Nate Quarry not on the main card?

I definitely agree with you. I could do without seeing the Kongo/Hardonk or Soszynski/Stann fight.

[DJ]

Re: UFC 97: Redemption

I think the MacDonald-Quarry fight is on the undercard b/c both guys are coming off losses and the UFC is likely trying to get some exposure for Stann, a guy that could be a money-maker for them.

[MC Fatigue]

Re: UFC 97: Redemption

I think Stann is going to go away pretty fast.

He's a mediocre fighter who beat a bunch of mediocre fighters; including a mediocre WEC LHW Champion in Marshall.

Once he fought Cantwell, who was ready this time, and in great shape, he got his *** handed to him.

I think Stann is either going to lose a couple and be released, or he's going to lose and be put up against newcomers and kept around as a stepping stone.

Other than that - he's going to have to improve big time to become anything in the UFC. His WEC antics really don't count for anything here.

[DJ]

Re: UFC 97: Redemption

Did anyone see the Countdown show? I got a good laugh out of Shogun's manager who told Dana to "turn the TV off" as he speculated about how Shogun could be booted from the UFC with a loss (I don't think that would happen, but still, pretty funny).

Shogun looked in good shape at the weigh-in; let's see if he can return close to his old form.

I like Leites a lot more after watching the Countdown show. Too bad I still think he's going to get KTFO.

[Pappy Knuckles]

Re: UFC 97: Redemption

I happened to wake up this morning and the countdown show was on. Leites seems like a really cool dude, but he's gonna have to take that *** whoopin all the same.


Lol @ Shogun's trainer. I really hope we see the old Shogun tonight. I know he's gone through a lot of tough injuries, but he's too young to be washed up already.

[DueceDiggla]

Re: UFC 97: Redemption

Tonight is going to be really good. I think Shogun is going to win.

[SHO]

Re: UFC 97: Redemption

I hope Shogun crushes Liddell. He needs to have a big win to prove that he's still a top dog.

Silva will win this easily.

Hardonk will give Cup Chieck a hard time if it ends up a standup fight, which it probably will.

[sven]

Re: UFC 97: Redemption

I can't wait to see those Loiseau elbows carve that goon Hermans face to ****. It's Crow time baby!!

The Crow is gonna get spanked.

He's lost to pretty much every decent fighter he's ever faced. And winning by cut stoppage is for bitches.

[Dr.J]

Re: UFC 97: Redemption

I hope shogun smashes liddel, i hope its like when silva smashed dana's other posterboy.

[sven]

Re: UFC 97: Redemption

I hope shogun smashes liddel, i hope its like when silva smashed dana's other posterboy.

I hope Silva gets his arm ripped off tonight. He's been acting like a total douche for a while now.

[BSanders]

Re: UFC 97: Redemption

Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites- Leites
Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio Rua- Rua
Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brian Stann- Stann
Cheick Kongo vs. Antoni Hardonk- Hardonk
Steve Cantwell vs. Luiz Cane- Cantwell