Rumor: UFC 118 Couture vs. Toney in Boston

[jb12780]

http://mmajunkie.com/news/18852/randy-couture-vs-james-toney-targeted-for-augusts-ufc-118-in-boston.mma

Wow. I wasn't expecting this fight for Toney's debut.

[Tracy Mcgrady 1]

Re: Rumor: UFC 118 Couture vs. Toney in Boston

Lol James Toney?

[The Chef]

Re: Rumor: UFC 118 Couture vs. Toney in Boston

I cant imagine that the UFC is paying Randy all that money to fight guys like James Toney, it makes absolutely no sense. Toney isnt going to be some main event fighter and Randy is already, if Toney was somehow able to catch Randy and knock him out then where do they go from there? Couture is definitely succeptible to getting knocked out and if he was to lose to James Toney, good luck trying to build any type of big fight using Randy. The UFC has nothing to gain and everything to lose in a fight like that.

[jeremym480]

Re: Rumor: UFC 118 Couture vs. Toney in Boston

I cant imagine that the UFC is paying Randy all that money to fight guys like James Toney, it makes absolutely no sense. Toney isnt going to be some main event fighter and Randy is already, if Toney was somehow able to catch Randy and knock him out then where do they go from there? Couture is definitely succeptible to getting knocked out and if he was to lose to James Toney, good luck trying to build any type of big fight using Randy. The UFC has nothing to gain and everything to lose in a fight like that.

Completely agree. Randy is 46 years old and one would think that he doesn't have that many more fights left. I wouldn't mind seeing him get one more shot at the title as long as he wins two more fights against top flight competition.

Couture defeating Toney is a lose/lose situation for Randy. He will be expected to win because he's been in MMA for so long and it's Toney's first MMA fight and what happens for his career if Toney actually pulls it out?

[DueceDiggla]

Re: Rumor: UFC 118 Couture vs. Toney in Boston

Completely agree. Randy is 46 years old and one would think that he doesn't have that many more fights left. I wouldn't mind seeing him get one more shot at the title as long as he wins two more fights against top flight competition.

Couture defeating Toney is a lose/lose situation for Randy. He will be expected to win because he's been in MMA for so long and it's Toney's first MMA fight and what happens for his career if Toney actually pulls it out?

What would the UFC do if Randy did get a fight towards the title and lost? In most people's eyes he lost to Vera, so I don't think he is beating a top 5 LHW.

This makes total sense to me. The pioneers of the Zuffa era are all in the same situation and you will only see them in fights like this. It is why Hughes fought Renzo and why the UFC was considering matching up Chuck against Kimbo instead of the Kimbo/Houston fight, or even the Couture/Coleman fight. It is also why the only fights that make sense for Chuck right now are Tito or Franklin, because he can't beat anyone else at this point. They're all too old. Franklin, Hughes, Couture and Chuck.

Now you have Randy/Toney. IMO, they want Toney to lose, but putting him up against a solid fighter like Rashad doesn't help them because the casual fan doesn't know a Rashad or a Shogun. So they use Randy because of his name, but also because his style matches up very well against a guy who has never fought MMA before. There is a solid chance Toney KO's Randy, but then they can actually use that footage of Toney KOing a legend and try to convince the casual fans that this guy is legit.


Like I said, Hughes, Randy, Chuck, Franklin, Tito and soon Cro Cop and Wand are all in the same boat. They're well past their days of challenging for the belt so you will only see them in fights that will attract the casual fans or strange "dream" matchups like a CroCop vs. Chuck.

[The Chef]

Re: Rumor: UFC 118 Couture vs. Toney in Boston

What would the UFC do if Randy did get a fight towards the title and lost? In most people's eyes he lost to Vera, so I don't think he is beating a top 5 LHW.

This makes total sense to me. The pioneers of the Zuffa era are all in the same situation and you will only see them in fights like this. It is why Hughes fought Renzo and why the UFC was considering matching up Chuck against Kimbo instead of the Kimbo/Houston fight, or even the Couture/Coleman fight. It is also why the only fights that make sense for Chuck right now are Tito or Franklin, because he can't beat anyone else at this point. They're all too old. Franklin, Hughes, Couture and Chuck.

Now you have Randy/Toney. IMO, they want Toney to lose, but putting him up against a solid fighter like Rashad doesn't help them because the casual fan doesn't know a Rashad or a Shogun. So they use Randy because of his name, but also because his style matches up very well against a guy who has never fought MMA before. There is a solid chance Toney KO's Randy, but then they can actually use that footage of Toney KOing a legend and try to convince the casual fans that this guy is legit.


Like I said, Hughes, Randy, Chuck, Franklin, Tito and soon Cro Cop and Wand are all in the same boat. They're well past their days of challenging for the belt so you will only see them in fights that will attract the casual fans or strange "dream" matchups like a CroCop vs. Chuck.

What do you mean what would they do if Randy got a title shot and lost? Its not as if the guy is undefeated so he has lost before and he will lose again but you dont pay a guy a million dollars or more for each fight and then throw him out there against James Toney, it makes no sense. The better question is, what do they do if Randy was dropped and knocked out by Toney? For as much of a fan favorite Randy is they still bitched when he fought Mark Coleman in the main event, if they didnt like that matchup then I dont see how in the hell they are going to sell a fight with Toney. Secondly, how exactly do you sell a fight with Toney anyways? Youve got no footage of Toney even fighting in MMA so what do you do? If they want to sacrafice Randy, or atleast take that chance, then let him be a gatekeeper and fight Jon Jones or someone meaningful that way if Randy loses they can atleast build the other fighter up for years to come, building Toney up will not only be a monumental task but he wont be around MMA long either.

[DueceDiggla]

Re: Rumor: UFC 118 Couture vs. Toney in Boston

What do you mean what would they do if Randy got a title shot and lost? Its not as if the guy is undefeated so he has lost before and he will lose again but you dont pay a guy a million dollars or more for each fight and then throw him out there against James Toney, it makes no sense. The better question is, what do they do if Randy was dropped and knocked out by Toney? For as much of a fan favorite Randy is they still bitched when he fought Mark Coleman in the main event, if they didnt like that matchup then I dont see how in the hell they are going to sell a fight with Toney. Secondly, how exactly do you sell a fight with Toney anyways? Youve got no footage of Toney even fighting in MMA so what do you do? If they want to sacrafice Randy, or atleast take that chance, then let him be a gatekeeper and fight Jon Jones or someone meaningful that way if Randy loses they can atleast build the other fighter up for years to come, building Toney up will not only be a monumental task but he wont be around MMA long either.

You don't think it would be easy to sell a fight with Toney to the casual fan? Because anything the UFC does with Toney will be targeted to the casual fan because an informed fan knows its all ********. Dana could easily talk up Toney as a boxing legend and how it will be boxing vs. mma. He gets us to buy into horrible fights and TUFs all the time, so this will be a breeze for him.

And as far as Randy goes. They paid him however much they paid him to keep him from Strikeforce. His contract is worth it just to prevent Randy/Fedor from happening in SF.


Randy losing to Jon Jones or James Toney is irrelevant at this point. His stock rising or dropping doesn't matter. He wants "interesting" fights or fights that will make him the most money and this is one of them. I wouldn't be surprised if he fights Chuck one more time before he officially retires for one more big pay day.

[shorty12345]

Re: Rumor: UFC 118 Couture vs. Toney in Boston

I would not pay to watch this fight at all!

[darlon]

Re: Rumor: UFC 118 Couture vs. Toney in Boston

They're giving Toney a fight with Couture because Randy is one of The Expendables.

[Phillmattic]

Re: Rumor: UFC 118 Couture vs. Toney in Boston

Couture has been asking for this fight for a long time, so he probably campaigned heavily to the UFC brass to get the first shot at Toney.

It's a big fight, it pretty much sells itself.

[DueceDiggla]

Re: Rumor: UFC 118 Couture vs. Toney in Boston

Couture has been asking for this fight for a long time, so he probably campaigned heavily to the UFC brass to get the first shot at Toney.

It's a big fight, it pretty much sells itself.

Exactly. If Randy is asking for fights like this, then us fans shouldn't complain about it being pointless for him.

[thelwig14]

Re: Rumor: UFC 118 Couture vs. Toney in Boston

I hope Randy decapitates him....Toney is COMPLETELY washed up and this would be a nightmare if Toney got lucky and caught him.

[Sandman42]

Re: Rumor: UFC 118 Couture vs. Toney in Boston

It's not like this is the main event. It's on the same card as Penn/Edgar II.

[The Chef]

Re: Rumor: UFC 118 Couture vs. Toney in Boston

You don't think it would be easy to sell a fight with Toney to the casual fan? Because anything the UFC does with Toney will be targeted to the casual fan because an informed fan knows its all ********. Dana could easily talk up Toney as a boxing legend and how it will be boxing vs. mma. He gets us to buy into horrible fights and TUFs all the time, so this will be a breeze for him.

And as far as Randy goes. They paid him however much they paid him to keep him from Strikeforce. His contract is worth it just to prevent Randy/Fedor from happening in SF.


Randy losing to Jon Jones or James Toney is irrelevant at this point. His stock rising or dropping doesn't matter. He wants "interesting" fights or fights that will make him the most money and this is one of them. I wouldn't be surprised if he fights Chuck one more time before he officially retires for one more big pay day.

Wasnt Fedor in EliteXc when Randy resigned with the UFC? I still dont see how this fight makes sense and honestly dont care if hes been asking for it as we just got done watching him fight Mark Coleman and that was a terrible fight that he was amped for. I dont see why Dana would want to "talk up" a fight pitting MMA vs Boxing, its a complete lose-lose situation. IMO, boxers should stick with boxing and when they cant do it anymore then retire, same can be said for the MMA guys, Im not a fan of watching over the hill boxers try MMA. So, say Toney comes in and catches Couture and knocks him out, what the hell do they do with a guy coming off a loss to a washed up boxer? A guy that is still under contract for multiple fights and now youve got next to nobody to build up a fight with? If he loses hes going to be down to fighting Chuck again, Tito and maybe Mirko but thats about it, its just stupid business imo. If Randy wins, and Im sure everyone assumes he will, then what? It shouldnt move him any closer to the belt, it does nothing other then use up one of his fights on his contract and nothing more. IMHO, if your willing to basically make Randy a gatekeeper then give him some young gun like Jones who can actually use a win to catapult himself into title contention, not a washed up boxer who has no shot in hell at the belt.

[ManiacMatt1782]

Re: Rumor: UFC 118 Couture vs. Toney in Boston

fedor was never with elite xc. Hew has been with m1, who co promoted with affliction, and strikeforce