So I guess fans don't like technical fights in MMA?

GSP pulls out 16 different subs in a fight, most of it happening on the ground and the fans call it boring. StrikeForce puts out a live free event with all the action happening on the ground. This is what mixed martial arts is. The art of trying to subdue your opponent using a vast amount of skills ranging from a variety of different combat styles.
Apparently though, much of these styles don't make for good tv hence the dead ratings for StrikeForce.
Now people say that StrikeForce made a mistake by having 3 fights consisting of grapplers.
But is this not what MMA is? Is this not what true MMA is? If MMA fighters are going to try to be entertaining by going for knockouts, then how is this MMA any longer? We're asking grapplers to be something they're not. They give up their advantages this way and all for our entertainment.
If MMA wants to be entertaining, why not just hire bar brawlers instead?:dunno:

 

Ground game is fine if people go for the finish not when they just mount the other guy like it's a gay honeymoon

 

True that. I thought Shields could have gotten the stoppage about 8x if he threw more than one shot at a time. Melendez could have stopped Aoki as well.

 

The best MMA fight fought on the ground was Carlos Newton vs Kazushi Sakuraba(Check it out if you haven't seen it) The ground game can be entertaining if both fighters take chances.Jake Sheilds is a disgrace and shouldn't be fighting on national televison.

 

Thanks for the heads up on Newton. I was a big fan of his. I'll check that fight out.:bears:

 

Boringass Shields had Dan in the full mount so many times and just slapped him around with girly punches. Imagine a guy like Jon Bones Jones in that position. That motherfucker would unload some vicious shit and end it like you're supposed to. A guy like Shields rides out the clock and only takes enough risks not to lose a guy like Jones actually explodes on people and tries to end fights.

 

Exactly.

Personally I found all the fights interesting. There was more, from a technical standpoint, on display than you will see in a dozen MMA events.

My problem is no one showed the killer instinct to go for the finish. Hell, Melendez even said in his interview that he wouldn't attack hard until the last 30 seconds. WTF? Respect is one thing, but come on. Go for the kill.

And name another fight where a guy was mounted early in 4 straight rounds and survived? Shields had mega opportunities to stop Henderson, but he didn't risk it. Shield demonstrated fantastic BJJ with how easily he passed Henderson's guard, but tickling Dan from the mount just didn't do it for me.

I give Big Mo a pass because he still seems a little unsure on the ground. He has great control but little offense. But the way he executed the double and single leg takedowns with that strong drive was amazing to watch. On top of that, watching the great Mousasi exposed for having zero takedown defense was eye opening. It really made him give up.

 

Give Shields some credit, he wasn't fighting some bum. Just the fact that he dominated Henderson for 4 rounds was impressive to me. I don't care how ugly it was, Shields was SUPPOSED TO LOSE!!!

 

Well he gets SOME credit but still Hendo is old and only looked fresh in the first round. The very round where he more than once seperated Shields from his senses.

 

Lay and pray at it's finest. How you can give him a pass is beyond me. That performance would make Clay Guida proud.

 

Nobody, including me gave Shields a shot in hell. He was completetly written off and he dominated 4 out of the 5 rounds. To me, that is the very definition of impressive. Doing what you're not supposed to.

 

No one is saying he wasn't impressive, but there could have been a more decisive finish. He could have been the first to stop Dan Henderson.

 

I'd be more impressed with him making the fight exciting or at least finishing it. Also doing what you're not supposed to (at least if you're Shields) But ya he deserves some credit but you can't make Hendo seem like he's Fedor or something. Hendo was a slight favorite at best.

 

Anderson stopped him

 

He choked him out, not by strikes.

 

Well you didin't specify that ! Plus Anderson had Hendo out from strikes pretty much. The Choke kinda sealed the deal ALA Fedor Timmy.

 

That brings up a good point about fight jargon. Is a submission considered a stoppage?

 

Yes yes it does

 

I know what you are trying to say Hanzy, but I think you are off here. Great ground work was never on display in any of these fights. Jake Shields got the mount in rounds 2-5, yet did fuck all with it. Shields has great "guard pass" technique, but damn, do something with it. Aoki drug his ass around like a dog with worms and did fuck all with anything. Mo is a takedown machine with absolutely no Ground and Pound skill and zilch in the submission category. Mousasi fought like kid on ridlin while on his back. IMO, Gilbert Melendez was the only one who really showed any skill, his takedown defense was badass, his ground and pound was decent as well as his stand up.

 

Shields man handling Henderson both on takedowns and passing his guard was a brilliant display of technique. If he would have rained down huge punches and got a stoppage in the 2nd Round, he'd be on everyone's top 10 list today. He didn't and he isn't.

Love the Aoki/Dog w/worms analogy. Perfect.

 

The wrestling game is catching a lot of flack because a lot of fighters just aren't doing anything after they secure a take down. I agree with jarhead about melendez being the only fighter who looked decent and well rounded. I don't think I've ever seen a fighter as harmless from the mount as Shields was against Henderson.

 

I think people have come down too hard on the fights, but with it being on CBS, in order for this card to be deemed a success, it has to cater for new, or casual viewers. Even as a 'hardcore' fan, whilst i didn't find the fights completely boring, they were one-sided and repetitive.

I think some of the criticism strikeforce has come in for is unfair...we were all pumped for saturday's card because it looked great on paper....as a promoter, that's all Scott Coker and co can do. With the benefit of hindsight it is easy to pick holes. Bottom line is...shit cards happen. Strikeforce, by-and-large, haven't had too many of those to date.

 

I agree about Shields, his takedowns are awesome. GH77 is right though, he is one of the most harmless guys I have ever seen in a mount position.

 

Exactly. I've had girls who were way rougher in that position than Shields is in his fights

 

Oh, I am in complete agreement. He seriously spent about 12 minutes with Henderson mounted. And he couldn't get a stoppage?

But still, the dude is impressive. He just always seems to step up. To come back after the way Henderson nailed him was as good as it gets in the heart department.

 

Jake Shields is Sean Sherk 1.5

 

Or GSP 0.5

 

I can't agree with this at all. GSP gets shit about his wrestling style. But the biggest difference between GSP and guys like Shields, is GSP punishes his opponents with ground and pound. He litterally pounds them into submission. It may not be super exciting, but he inflicts damage better than just about any other that has a wrestler's style.

 

Shields submits guys if he can though, how can you fault shields for not subbing henderson? You think GSP stops henderson? Fuck no!

 

I disagree. Sherk had decent striking. Shields striking is horrible.