http://www.tatame.com/news "Master Rudimar Fedrigo confirmed us that Mauricio Shogun will face Forrest Griffin at UFC 76, that is schedule for September 22, at . “We went specially to Las Vegas to sign the contract for four fights and to record the videos for before the fightâ€, said Rudimar, that arrive at Curitiba today. Rudimar had confirmed too that Mauricio Shogun’s brother, Murilo Ninja, will make his first EliteXC belt defense against Robbie Lawler, one week before UFC 76." __________________
Are you sure? I thought he was already set to fight Lyoto Machida? At least according to mmaweekly he is. UFC 76: SEPTEMBER 22, 2007 IN ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA -Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (#1 Light Heavyweight in the World)* vs. Ryoto Machida -Chuck Liddell (#3 Light Heavyweight in the World)* vs. Keith Jardine -Diego Sanchez (#6 Welterweight in the World)* vs. Jon Fitch (#7 Welterweight in the World)* -Jason Lambert vs. Wilson Gouveia -Evan Tanner vs. TBA
i guess dana white wants to see griffin get beat up. foolish matchmaking considering not too many people in the US know who Rua is.
Quite the opposite. It's smart matchmaking to introduce him to the US. No point in having Griffen continue to fight B level opposition when he has already shown he is capable of losing to them to.
Problem is he can lose to those guys. Shit, Griffen wasn't supposed to lose to Jardine. best way to use Griffen at this point is to let a new guy kick his ass and be introduced to the UFC that way.
This is just the UFC using Griffin's popularity (and slim/none chance of winning the fight) to sell Rua to the UFC/American audience. It's an intended mismatch, just as Liddell-Jardine is. If Rua dominates him, it makes Rua look impressive and a top contender. If he (somehow) loses, it's to Griffin...so no loss because he could sell in a title fight later on (Machida wouldn't). Boxing promoters are called out for this kind of match-making all the time...no different with the UFC.
Diego Sanchez vs. John Fitch is the best looking match up on that card so far. I can't stand Sanchez, and losing a boring desicion to JK was not enough, I want him to suffer. :stir:
tbh, I don't think Jardine/Liddell is a mismatch. Jardine did lose his last fight in humiliating fashion, but he can punch hard, and is a pretty tough bastard. I could see him catching Liddell with a big right like he did Griffin. The only real mismatch here appears to be Rua/Forrest.
Yeah good point. This would be like leben being fed to anderson silva to introduced silva to the public.