UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones

[Troy]

UFC 128​

Main card
Light Heavyweight Championship bout: Maurício Rua (c) vs. Jon Jones
Bantamweight bout: Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland
Lightweight bout: Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus
Middleweight bout: Nate Marquardt vs. Dan Miller
Heavyweight bout: Mirko Filipović vs. Brendan Schaub​

Preliminary card
Light Heavyweight bout: Luiz Cane vs. Karlos Vemola
Lightweight bout: Edson Barboza vs. Anthony Njokuani
Welterweight bout: Ricardo Almeida vs. Mike Pyle
Lightweight bout: Kurt Pellegrino vs. Gleison Tibau
Bantamweight bout: Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian Loveland
Featherweight bout: Manvel Gamburyan vs. Raphael Assunção
Middleweight bout: Nick Catone vs. Constantinos Philippou​

Can Shogun actually defend the LightHeavweight Title? Ever since Rampage won the title there have only been two successful title defences and five champions including Shogun. Jones is in incredible form and even though he only fought recently he is going to be a great threat to Shogun. I am backing Jones for the win here.​

Akiyama is an awesome fighter and is on a streak of three Fight of the Nights. He is always a great fighter to watch even if he has lost his last two fights.​

Cro Cop fighting what I believe is his last fight of his contract. Schaub is coming off a win over Gabriel Gonzaga by decision, before that all his wins were by KO in the first round to go with one loss in the first round to Roy Nelson.​

 

[Deezy]

Light Heavyweight Championship bout: Maurício Rua (c) vs. Jon Jones
The UFC is taking their hottest new prospect and running with him. This is something that wrestling companies should look at and do the same. Jon Jones was getting massive pops and appraise that Zuffa actually gave Jones the title fight before he beat Bader, they weren't going to give Bader the title show if he won. Jones is still a question mark for the LHW division, we've never seen him on his back, never seen him take actual damage. Shogun on the other hand is a known entity at this stage of his career. His knees are shot, and for someone who is not even 30 thats bad. With that said, I will still say Shogun will beat Jones, but honestly this fight is a toss up.

Bantamweight bout: Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland
Faber is overrated and his bum chin will beat Wineland who is being brought in to make Faber look good.

Lightweight bout: Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus
Battle of the gift decisioners. Jim Miller is supposedly being groomed for a title shot.

Middleweight bout: Nate Marquardt vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama
Battle of the disappointers. They do well against cans, but when they face stiff competition they wilt. How did Akiyama not beat Bisping? That was a stupid gameplan and he didn't adjust. Marquadt should have this in the bag, he already lost to a Japanese fighter in his last fight, don't think he wants to lose again.

Heavyweight bout: Mirko Filipović vs. Brendan Schaub

I've all but given up on Cro Cop, it seems like he is always saying he is back to Pride form and I am left disappointed. It's also evident he is there for a paycheck. But since I don't like Schaub I'm still keeping hope strong for a Left High Kick.

 

[Troy]

Miller would still be some way off the title. Next to get a shot at Maynard/Edgar will be the winner of Pettis/Guida, then if Sotiropoulos wins at 127 he would have to be next in line. Then there is the chance of rematches so he will probably have to win at least three fights in the UFC before he gets a shot.

I am the same with Cro Cop, every fight I wait for the left high kick yet he never connects with it. He has been disappointing in UFC and unfortunately he can't replicate that Pride form.

 

[Chase]

Shogun and Jones is interesting. The original opponent was Page but Rampage thought food was much more important. Jones though looks to be a slippery one and this fight has my full attention. As well Faber will win over the former Bantamweight champion just to say he beat a former champ.

 

[Deezy]

Rampage just didn't want to get his ass kicked again by Shogun. I still wish the stupid unified rules allowed soccer kicks, Chute Box fighters were great at that, and I feel like thats one of the reasons for their lack of success in the UFC.

 

[Dademo]

Totally jumping on the Jones bandwaggon and hoping that he takes this fight.

The fact that if Jones wins after only having 1 1/2 months notice is as impressive as beating the man Shogun himself is you ask me.

 

[Big Red Jericho Punk]

Well it's happening in a week and I am pretty excited. I am disappointed that Evans ( one of my favorites) can't fight, but Jon Jones looked incredible against Bader so I am still very excited. Now since I am Croatian, I always am excited to see Cro Cop he's my all time favorite.. I do get what you guys are saying though, I completely understand. Cro Cop hypes up these matches saying he's feeling great then does nothing. I did watch his fight against Pat Barry over and I must say it was exciting. Barry took it to him early, but Mirko really came in clutch at the end. I wouldn't count out Cro Cop here, he may just pull something out of the bag against the talented Schaub. Akiyma vs Nate should be exciting, both guys are always down to go at it. As for the main event, well I have no idea who to take but in the end I think Sho Gun edges out a win in the 4th round with a submission. I just think Jones is too young, but then he can easily do it. No idea where I am watching it either bar called Miller's where they show it with no fee or Hooters.

 

[Dademo]

That reminds me Big Red, unfortunately, Akiyama had to pull out due to the tsunami in Japan. I don't know if it affected him but I heard he's doing fine.

Dan Miller will replace Akiyama. I wish Akiyama was still fighting though because he always brings it and is very exciting to watch.

I'm going to live to this like I keep saying, and I can't wait!

 

[Dademo]

Here are my predictions:

Mauricia Rua vs. Jon Jones - Jones
Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Windland - Faber
Mirko Cro Cop vs. Brendan Schaub - Schaub
Nate Marquardt vs. Dan Miller - Nate
Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus - Miller

Edson Barboza vs. Anthony Njokuani - Barboza
Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian Loveland - Benavidez
Ricardo Almeida vs. Mike Pyle - Almeida
Kurt Pellegrino vs. Gleison Tibau - Tibau

 

[Troy]

Have fun at the show tomorrow Dademo! It will be an incredible experience and I am jealous since I still haven't been to a UFC show yet.

It is a shame that Akiyama isn't fighting since he is a very entertaining fighter but he has his priorities in order and he made the right decision for him. Miller replacing him for me means that Marquardt will now win.

Here are my predictions:

Mauricia Rua vs. Jon Jones - Jones
Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Windland - Faber
Mirko Cro Cop vs. Brendan Schaub - Cro Cop
Nate Marquardt vs. Dan Miller - Marquardt
Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus - Miller

Edson Barboza vs. Anthony Njokuani - Njokuani
Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian Loveland - Benavidez
Ricardo Almeida vs. Mike Pyle - Almeida
Kurt Pellegrino vs. Gleison Tibau - Pellegrino

 

[Deezy]

Mauricia Rua vs. Jon Jones - Shogun
Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Windland - Faber
Mirko Cro Cop vs. Brendan Schaub - Schaub, and it will be boring.
Nate Marquardt vs. Dan Miller - Marquardt
Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus - Miller

Edson Barboza vs. Anthony Njokuani - Barboza
Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian Loveland - Benavidez
Ricardo Almeida vs. Mike Pyle - Almeida
Kurt Pellegrino vs. Gleison Tibau - Tibau

 

[Troy]

Jon Jones is now elite. Shogun couldn't touch him and Jones shrugged him off every time Shogun tried to take him down. His striking is at another level, he can't be taken down and his ground and pound is so methodical and powerful. He uses his reach to his full advantage and seeing him just palm Shogun off was so entertaining. Very likeable guy and he is only 23 so has a lot more development to go. I can't think of anyone in the division that can beat him. One thing I couldn't understand with Shogun was why he didn't throw more leg kicks.

Schaub vs Cro Cop was entertaining and Cro Cop was doing so well until Schaub caught him as he was trying for a left kick. Awesome power in his right hand. Cro Cop should have thrown more left kicks since he was connecting well with them to start with but he only threw a couple of them throughout the entire fight.

Faber vs Wineland was okay but I expected to finish him since he dominated the fight. Not sure how he didn't win 30-27.

Overall a good PPV.

Looking forward to GSP vs. Shields!!!

 

[Dademo]

Wow Jon Jones is crazy good. I totally didn't expect him to walk through Shogun like that and beat him up. He's the first guy to finish him via TKO I believe and that alone is impressive. I don't know who can beat him at 205, but definitely not Rashad Evans. I would like to say Anderson Silva, but I don't even want that to happen for the sake of Anderson Silva's undefeated streak.

Schaub vs. Cro Cop was a fun fight. I thought Cro Cop could have taken it via Split Decision before the knockout. He was using a lot of his left head kicks and that made me happy at least.

Miller/Shalorus was a good fight, and glad Miller won it, but big ups to Kamal Shalorus for sticking in there throughout that body triangle and not getting choked out.

Very surprised at the way Dan Miller stood in there with Nate the great and getting a takedown. Didn't expect him to win though.

Faber/Wineland wasn't as entertaining as I thought it would be, but still epic being there, everyone screaming "Faber!" and all.

Overall, pretty sick being there. The prelims were kinda boring since all were decisions, but I can't wait to go back when they have it in Montreal, NJ, Philly, or MSG finally.

 

[The New F'n Show]

Well a boy becames a man lol, lame I know. Been on the Jones bandwagon since I first saw him fight a long time ago but I didn't know if he was ready to hang with the big boys yet. He proved he could yesterday as Shogun looked lost in that fight. He did gas really early and he just looked like he wasn't there mentally. Jones should take Rashad but goofier things have happened. Was at a Hotel so that is the only fight I saw, if anyway knows of a replay somewhere (without having to download it) I would watch the rest.

 

[Deezy]

I didn't want to jump on the Jones hype-train, but that guy is very explosive and athletic. Plus his lanky frame and long arms, could quite possibly be an Anderson Silva type of dominance in the LHW division, the scary thing is he's just 23 and is still very green. And will only get better with time, and time is on his side.

I just remembered saying this after Jones fought Matyushenko last year. Watching his workout regimen and hearing Greg Jackson gush about him, it would be fair to expect dominance from Jon Jones, but in the LHW division it's just something no one should ever do.

I don't think it's time to start dreaming about Jones fighting Silva or Cain or anyone yet, we will have to see if he can actually defend the damn title, since no one has been able to since Rampage. Jumping the gun and throwing down dream matches is just something MMA fans seem to do all the time now and since the advent of websites, a small niche base of fans seem to be almost irrational with their support of someone or their hate.

I hate Sherdog.