Telegraph - Randy Couture will face his nemesis in Brock Lesnar

[Unknown Soldier]

The biggest UFC fight of the year, and possibly the biggest UFC fight in history and largest PPV event of any kind in 2008, became a reality Tuesday afternoon in a car park in Las Vegas.

Randy Couture, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion who has spent the last year in a self-imposed exile from the promotion, had stepped out of the UFC's plush downtown offices with his lawyers in tow.

He and the world's premier MMA promotion were inches away from settling their feud and signing a brand new three-fight deal which would start with a mega-showdown with former WWE wrestler turned fighter Brock Lesnar on November 15, but they'd run into some last minute snags and it looked like the whole thing would be off - before it was on.

An eagerly awaited media conference call was pushed back an hour to 11pm, UK time, as lawyers from both sides frantically tried to hammer out the last details. Huddled together with his legal team in the car park, Couture instructed his advisers to "just get it done", knowing that aged 45 and without a fight purse since last August he could ill-afford to sit on the sidelines much longer.

"Both sides made concessions," the two-division, five-time UFC champion said an hour later.

UFC President Dana White confirmed both sides have called off the dogs and there will be no more legal action between promoter and champion. He said: "I am so happy. This whole thing never made sense to me so I am very happy we can move on with Randy."

But Couture v Lesnar is a real blockbuster of a fight and fans of both men feel absolutely sure their fighter will win this hands down. It pits the most decorated fighter in UFC history, who's 16-7-2 record is littered with wins over the likes of Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Pedro Rizzo, against the most fearsome newcomer in any combat sport, the 2-1 280lbs powerhouse monster who many believe will soon develop into the greatest heavyweight in MMA.

It also has such themes as experience v youth, guile v raw power and arguably the best two heavyweight wrestlers ever to step into the Octagon locking up for the UFC Title.

Early odds have the fight a real pick ‘em.

Personally, at this point I am tipping Lesnar to run through the older man and usher in a new era in the UFC heavyweight division. Just too big, too young, too powerful, too fast and, controversial I know, but maybe too good as well.

"He's not a true heavyweight," Lesnar pointed out of the former two-time light heavyweight champion who has only campaigned twice as a heavyweight in the last six years. "He says he will weigh 225lbs and that's what he weighs before training camp. I will weigh on the 265lbs (weight limit) and maybe 275lbs or so on the night of the fight."

"I've developed tactics to deal with bigger men before," the 45-year-old champion pointed out.

Yes, but not anyone like Lesnar. Tim Sylvia, the gangly 6ft 8inch striker Couture handled last February to claim the UFC heavyweight belt for a record third time, is simply not an athlete anywhere near the calibre of Lesnar, a giant so athletic he was offered a NFL contract in 2005 despite not having played American Football in a decade.

Yes, Lesnar will still be vulnerable from to the kind of submissions which cost him a fight he was dominating against Frank Mir 7 months ago but Couture has scored but two submissions in his entire 11 year career and never one from his back, where Lesnar will undoubtedly put him within seconds of the fight starting.

Any ideas that Couture will be able to outwrestle a bigger, stronger man who was actually an even better college grappler than he can be dismissed as Couture cheer-leading. It simply isn't going to happen.

As Lesnar himself said: "Randy was a NCAA runner-up, I was a NCAA champion." And he should have added "and a super-heavyweight champion, too" as he will likely enjoy a frightening 60lbs weight advantage over the much older, smaller and slower man come fight time.

The super-fight born in a parking lot is actually taking place in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. But faced with the monster that is Lesnar, I think Couture will feel like he's been mugged in a car park come November 15.

News Source: http://uk.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=14356

 

[MulciberXP]

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[slider]

Hmm, how Lesnar gets a fight with Couture after one loss and two wins(?) is anyone's guess.

Having said that, with Randy having been inactive for a while... I'm going to hedge my bets. Will be fascinating to watch - esp. as Randy is such an intelligent fighter.

EDIT: Didn't mean to take anything away from Lesnar. The guy is a beast!

 

[Unknown Soldier]

I think Randy should take it although Lesnar might just sit on top of Randy the whole time. Randy should get it with a submission.

US

 

[slider]

I think Randy should take it although Lesnar might just sit on top of Randy the whole time. Randy should get it with a submission.

US

Interesting. I'm gonna have to look up their stats - I just don't see anyone easily applying a submission to Lesnar (I think in my head I've got a misrepresented image of Lesnar as an absolute giant). If anything I would've thought the biggest danger to Lesnar would be running out of steam. It's gonna be a fascinating fight.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

I don't think Lesnar will run outta steam. He's too young and fit for that. You must see him train. I think Randy's experience will count for him, and although Brock won't be easy(as in the Frank Mir match), I still think Randy will submit him.

Like I said though, Brock's size and the way he can put the smackdown(pun intended) on people does make him dangerous(Frank Mir was lucky).

US

 

[thehulk]

Hopefully Randy'll kick his ass and have enough in him for one more fight.
Then retire after fulfilling his ambition to face off (and losing) against Fedor.

 

[MulciberXP]

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[slider]

I don't think Lesnar will run outta steam. He's too young and fit for that. You must see him train. I think Randy's experience will count for him, and although Brock won't be easy(as in the Frank Mir match), I still think Randy will submit him.

Like I said though, Brock's size and the way he can put the smackdown(pun intended) on people does make him dangerous(Frank Mir was lucky).

US

It really will be like a game of chess. That's for sure. Can't wait!

I'll also have a look around for his training regime. I guess I'm just working on the basis that he is such a big guy - from a quick Google it seems he's got 20kg on Randy. Now, of course, that could play out in one of two ways...

 

[Unknown Soldier]

And remember that his fists are really like hammers.

US

 

[Captain Chickenpants]

And remember that his fists are really like hammers.

US

Unlike Captain Hammer!

The hammer is my penis!

http://www.drhorrible.com/

CC

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Wow .. so the fight went up to 3m07s of the second round.

Round One:
The first round was very interesting. Both came out aware of what the other can do and both tried the stand up game first and then trying for the take down when they could. Brock started with the knees while in the clinch and it stayed in the clinch till just after a minute when Randy blasted free just missing Brock with a punch. Brock tried the take down but Randy defended successfully till the three minute mark when Brock took Randy down. Brock then almost turned Brock around and started to climb Brock's back but Brock forced himself and took Randy down again. Brock then proceeded to try and pin Randy's arms and could get some punches in. At the end of the first round, I thought it was pretty tight but would've given it to Brock. Randy was able to escape and with thirty seconds left had Brock pinned to the cage and even tried to take Brock down unsuccessfully.

Round Two:
Both Brock and Randy come out and do some stand up fighting and Brock gets a lucky elbow in and rocks Randy who is dazed for a bit. Brock comes in but Randy is able to recover by holding Brock against the cage. One minute passes and Brock gets a knee in the almost connects Randy and Randy breaks the clinch but a few seconds later connects Brock on the eye and cuts him. The cut seems to disturb Brock a bit as he keeps on wiping the blood away and Randy clinches Brock into the cage corner. Two and a half minutes pass and Brock breaks the deadlock with a knee and almost connects Randy. As they come together in the center, Brock sends a fist that connects Randy on the side of the head and Randy goes down. Brock is immediately on Randy sending his huge fists down onto Randy and Randy can't defend himself against the barrage of fists that Brock is sending down on him and a fews seconds later the referee stops the fight.

Brock Wins and becomes the New UFC Heavy Weight Champion of the World.

Congrats Brock.

US

 

[MulciberXP]

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[DuckThor Evil]

Round One:
Brock started with the knees while in the clinch and it stayed in the clinch till just after a minute when Randy blasted free just missing Brock with a punch.

Hey that was a nice report of the match, but I'm going to have to nitpick a little... Randy didn't miss Brock with that punch. It hit right on the temple and it was a quite hard punch.

Round Two:
Both Brock and Randy come out and do some stand up fighting and Brock gets a lucky elbow in and rocks Randy who is dazed for a bit. One minute passes and Brock gets a knee in the almost connects Randy and Randy breaks the clinch. Two and a half minutes pass and Brock breaks the deadlock with a knee and almost connects Randy.

What was so lucky about that elbow? and both of those knees connected and had atleast average power in them at the time of connection. Anyways lot's of good fights on that card and I'm happy that Lesnar won.

 

[Mintmaster]

If Lesnar wins the tourny I predict Shane Carwin as the new champ by the end of 2009!

That guy is almost as big as Brock (and actually has bigger hands!) but has decent MMA skills. I would love to see the two fight.

Nog vs. Brock will be interesting too. Nog seems to have an uncanny ability to win even after getting rocked or dominated, so Brock's power may not be enough to finish the job.

 

[MulciberXP]

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[Unknown Soldier]

I must say, having a look at UFC 89 again, I didn't see Carwin as a huge competitor(TV can be misleading), but having a look at his stats, I see he's has the same weight and height as Brock and so should prove a worthy competitor.

If this ever happened, it would definitely be an interesting match to say the least.

He's ground game does seem to be solid but of course that would be so since he is a wrestler too.

US