TUF 11: Team Liddell vs. Team Ortiz...or Team Franklin? Discussion

[xtremebadass]

Yea but Bisping was Mr. UK. They needed a fighter to rep the Brits and Bisping embodied UK to a tee.

 

[phantomgerald]

Yeah but it shows that they are willing to go to non-champions in certain situations. I think Sanchez/Florian is one such situation.

 

[straight_edge76]

I think Florian/Sanchez would be a great idea, if you thought Rashad/Rampage didn't like each other could you imagine these two?

 

[xtremebadass]

[yt]pwPlGxvyTRY[/yt]

I could have sworn it always premiered in April, that's pretty sweet March 31!!!


OFFICIAL CAST PHOTOS:

http://mmajunkie.com/news/18145/the-ultimate-fighter-11-exclusive-photo-gallery-of-all-28-cast-members.mma

 

[phantomgerald]

No real favourite this year unlike last year where you knew either Nelson or Kimbo would win.

 

[xtremebadass]

Yea last season was tight because some of the fighters were better known. This is old school TUF with a bunch of no names

 

[straight_edge76]

Which isn't imo necessarily a bad thing.

 

[xtremebadass]

Yea it avoids the huge letdowns. Knowing Kimbo was going to be on the show last season hyped the hell out of me. Then seeing him lose was like the ultimate kick in the nuts. I guess not having any well known guys isn't a bad thing, but it will hurt ratings compared to last season.

Tito and Chuck can only take the ratings so far, well them and maybe Jake Shields, but he won't get that much air time.

 

[straight_edge76]

Kimbo Slice's epic fail last season imo could be a reason that the UFC decided to take a more subtle, lesser known fighter approach to this season. I cannot see the ratings being overwhelming this season but it should be good. Tito/Chuck is always good lol.

 

[xtremebadass]

Rich Franklin vs. Chuck Liddell in the works for UFC 115, not rumored April show
by John Morgan on Mar 13, 2010 at 12:55 pm ET

Light heavyweights Rich Franklin and Chuck Liddell are penciled in for a June showdown.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the promotion that the two have verbally agreed to face each other in June at UFC 115, though contracts have yet to be finalized.

The new matchup replaces a planned third meeting between Liddell and Tito Ortiz that had been expected for the promotion's first trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and may have been arranged as a result of Franklin's unexpected involvement in "TUF 11."

The Franklin vs. Liddell matchup was first reported by Fighters Only magazine, though the U.K.-based publication pinned the fight to a rumored April 17 UFC Fight Night card that now seems increasingly unlikely to occur.

Liddell and Ortiz were announced this past December as opposing coaches on the soon-to-debut "The Ultimate Fighter 11" series. At that time, the UFC also announced plans for the legendary figures to meet for a third time at the conclusion of the series.

It was later learned that the matchup was intended to headline the as-yet-unannounced UFC 115 card in June.

With Ortiz no longer in the plans, the former champion's next move is currently unknown.

In February, with "The Ultimate Fighter 11" still filming in Las Vegas, the "Hunting Beach Bad Boy" posted a series of cryptic messages on his Twitter account the led to many to speculate something had run afoul with his role as a coach on the Spike TV series.

"If things couldn't get worse, they just did!" Ortiz stated on Feb. 24. "[Expletive]! "I want to thank all my fans for your support!

"I guess business is business."

Three days later, additional Ortiz comments led to further speculation.

"Thanks for all the support," Ortiz stated. "Thinking that life couldn't get any harder? It just did! Another challenge that god has given me! Wow.

"Many things that challenge us in lives will make us stronger. One thing I can say is don't ever quit. I'm strong because of my family and fans!"

MMAjunkie.com has learned from additional sources that Ortiz was not able to complete the filming of "The Ultimate Fighter 11," though the reasoning behind his absence wasn't immediately known.

Those same sources suggested that Franklin was possibly brought in as a replacement coach to finish out the season's filming, and "Ace" now meets Liddell as an opposing "TUF" coach.

The original announcement of a third matchup between Liddell and Ortiz was met with little fanfare. Many MMA fans felt the matchup was unnecessary with the "Iceman" already owning a pair of wins over Ortiz – a 2004 second-round knockout and a 2006 third-round TKO.

For more on "The Ultimate Fighter 11," which debuts March 31 following Spike TV's broadcast of UFC Fight Night 21, check out the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

TITO MUST HAVE REALLY FUCKED THIS THING UP.

 

[Rated RJC]

Wow I was really looking forward to Tito vs. Chuck III as well as the new TUF season. Kind of seems useless if they aren't fighting at the end, much like Rampage/Rashad.

Franklin/Liddell is a pretty good replacement though. Still going to be a good fight.

 

[straight_edge76]

Franklin/Liddell is imo going to be much better than Tito/Liddell would have been.

 

[EnterTamed]

either tito f'd this up or chuck went to dana and said he didn't want to lose to tito, lets face it tito still has something, he's still been the closest to truly beating Shogun and wasn't too craptacular in his fight against forrest.

i say Tito vs Bisbing might be decent

also routing for that guy who went to northern virginia community college since thats where im at for 2 more months.

 

[xtremebadass]

either tito f'd this up or chuck went to dana and said he didn't want to lose to tito, lets face it tito still has something, he's still been the closest to truly beating Shogun and wasn't too craptacular in his fight against forrest.

I am not so sure about Chuck going to Dana, but I could definitely see Chuck thinking this way. Tito still poses a threat and Chuck knows that. Chuck is nowhere near what he used to be and has been at this level for sometime now, but "if" Tito did screw up I wonder if Chuck hand picked Franklin to replace him. Franklin is not no walk in the park either for Liddell, just saying.

As for Tito's next fight...if there is one...I can WITHOUT A DOUBT see him fighting Mark Coleman if UFC ever wants him back.

Tito and Coleman have some bad blood from Coleman's fight with Couture, that could put some asses in seats.

 

[phantomgerald]

Guys, please stop. Dana White has confirmed on his twitter page that Rich Franklin is going to face Randy Couture, so that should put this rumour to rest.