UFC

Crazy...that's the understatement of the year Mitchell lol! Would love to see Hardy put him to sleep mate..gotta say.Unlike you lad they aint my favs lol GSP would probs control him like he does to everyone but Diaz would get in his face if he was given the chance..thats for sure!
Would love to see him return to the UFC though to add some spice!

This is the sort of thing that pisses me off about how Michael Bisping is viewed across the pond...
I would pin this to his dressing room wall before the fight on Saturday Night.
This came from a Canadian MMA website:
"I hope Yoshihiro Akiyama destroys Michael Bisping at UFC 120. Is there anyone more overrated in the UFC than Bisping. The guy is extremely full of himself and he doesn't have the skills to back it up. When he has faced real competition he folds. Rashad Evans beat him at UFC 78. Dan Henderson knocked out cold at UFC 100. He couldn't even get a win when he went against Wanderlei Silva (who is well past his prime).

Bisping is lucky that the UFC keeps trying to push the sport in England, because if it wasn't for the English fans, Bisping would have no fans at all. Seven of his 12 fights since joining the UFC have taken place outside of the United States, with five of them in England. His next fight against Akiyama is in.... you guessed it London, England.

I'm all for pushing the sport across the world, but there must be better fighters coming out of the U.K. than Bisping".

Devin D.
Medicine Hat, Alberta

What a mug lol

What Bisping has to say about performing for his home fans on sat night.

*"I feel very special,"
*"I always feel an extra incentive to perform and give the fans what they came to see. ... I want them to go home happy.
*"If you go out and watch your favorite football team lose, you go home feeling depressed. I don't want them to come and see me, spend their hard-earned money, to see their fighter lose and go home having a bad night."
*In the past, I've talked about wanting to be the champion and `I'm going to be the world champion' and all that crap,I made more money. In the past, maybe I didn't truly believe it. I was just saying it because it was the thing you were supposed to say. But now, everything's come together. I've been working with some new coaches. ... Everything has come together. I feel now that I'm really maturing as a fighter."

*"I've got the experience under my belt. My skills are all coming together. I'm understanding the game a lot more. I've got the confidence back up where it's supposed to be. I truly believe now I'm capable of winning the title."

I believe he can win the title also..Have real confidence in him and hope he gets the chance to do it.

Feel like i've been cutting and pasting all day lol But here's 5ive legendary fights to take place in Britain.

1.Paul Taylor v Paul Kelly: UFC 80, Newcastle Upon Tyne
At UFC 80, Paul Kelly made his UFC debut when he took on fellow Brit Paul Taylor at the Newcastle Arena. What followed was one of the best first rounds Dana White has even seen. Both men hit the ground running, standing toe-to-toe and violently swinging at one another in one of, if not the most intense opening minute to a fight in UFC history.

The striking was ferocious, and to this day is the measuring stick for the heart UK fighters are expected to display. Shots were landing and landing hard, yet both men stayed in the pocket and continued to take all that the other man could throw. The second and third rounds took place on the ground for the majority of the time, with Kelly delivering some serious ground and pound, leaving his opponent a bleeding mess en route to a unanimous decision victory.

The fight was slotted into the live PPV broadcast and there was no surprise when these two British warriors were rightfully awarded Fight Of The Night honours. On top of that this Battle Of Britain saw both men honoured in the UFC's 100 Greatest Fights.

2.Michael Bisping vs. Denis Kang: UFC 105, Manchester
At UFC 100 Michael Bisping suffered one of the worst knockout defeats in recent memory when Dan Henderson dropped two devastating blows onto the jaw of "The Count." Four months later - and in his hometown of Manchester - Bisping looked to bounce back from his first stoppage loss when he took on highly regarded PRIDE veteran Denis Kang.

Bisping suffered a nail-biting knockdown early in the fight, which saw him survive and spend the remainder of the round defending off his back. Bisping walked back to his corner shaking his fist to the home crowd as if to say "now let's start this fight," and he came back to deliver one of the most dominating performances of his career.

Continuous takedowns and relentless cardio saw the Brit overwhelm and then eventually "break" his opponent with the defenceless Kang finally stopped in the closing stages of the second round. Bisping was victorious; his comeback had been a successful one and Fight Of The Night honours followed. Victory over Kang has to go down as the single best performance of Bisping's career, showing great heart to come back from the early knockdown to captivate the home crowd.

3.Mirko Crop Cop vs. Gabriel Gonzaga: UFC 70, Manchester
Following a five-year absence from the UK, the UFC returned to put on a card stacked with international names. Topping the bill was the No. 1 heavyweight contender fight between rising Brazilian Gabriel Gonzaga and former PRIDE superstar Mirko Cro Cop. New champion Randy Couture awaited the winner with fans eager to see a bout between The Natural and lethal Croatian kickboxer Cro Cop.

Cro Cop had made a name for himself by delivering his deadly trademark kicks that had seen some of the best names in the business crumble at his feet. But as he looked for a home for one such assault against Gonzaga, the Brazilian threw a perfect right head-kick of his own, landing right on the button, knocking the Croatian out cold on the canvas with his leg twisting dangerously under his body.

The Manchester crowd erupted as they witnessed the most shocking and ironic head-kick knockout in UFC history. That night the hunter became the hunted, and with that kick Gonzaga was awarded Knockout Of The Night as well as being handed a shot at the heavyweight title.

4.B.J Penn vs. Joe Stevenson: UFC 80, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Just a few weeks after Tyneside saw in the New Year, Geordie fans were treated to their first ever live UFC event, with BJ Penn and Joe Stevenson set to do battle for the vacant lightweight championship. After Sean Sherk was stripped of the title, the consequences of a positive steroid test, former welterweight champion Penn and TUF 2 winner Stevenson made the trip across the pond to decide which man would rule at 155lbs.

Penn set the tone early by dropping Stevenson - within five seconds of the fight beginning - and put on an example of pure dominance as he controlled his opponent on the ground for the entire round. A late elbow opened a nasty gash which saw Stevenson stagger back to his corner, blood pumping heavily from his head.

In round two Penn picked his man apart on the feet, before Stevenson was sent to the canvas again. A vicious bout of ground and pound left Stevenson a bleeding mess and saw Penn eventually work his way into position to sink in the fight-winning rear-naked choke. The choke was named Submission of the Night, but more importantly saw Penn finally named the UFC lightweight champion, setting up a showdown with the soon-to-return Sean Sherk.

5.Dan Hardy vs. Mike Swick: UFC 105, Manchester
Dan Hardy was bumped up to co-main event status after Mike Swick was drafted in for this card, as the UFC returned to the Manchester Evening News Arena. The promise of a title shot awaited the winner, with reigning champion Georges St. Pierre waiting Octagon-side.

The enactment was a three-round back and forth war which saw both men land significant shots. The main difference was the key shots that Swick landed - mainly left hooks - saw Hardy eat them and instantly push forward again while he had Swick clearly rocked in all three rounds.

Parts of round three were an all-out slugfest as both men stood and traded much to the delight of the capacity crowd in Manchester. Hardy displayed lightning quick striking and, during one brief spell on the ground, a cut opened on the head of Swick courtesy of a series of vicious Hardy elbows.

As they entered the final seconds Hardy cupped his ear signalling to the animated home crowd who responded with deafening chants of 'Hardy...Hardy... Hardy.' The Outlaw was putting on the best show of his UFC career and the decision was unanimous in his favour. Hardy made history that night in Manchester as he became the first British fighter in history to be awarded a shot at the UFC title.

That Canadian bellend has got somewhat of a point as Bisping hasn't won the big fights he's been in & has fought a lot in England. The England part is down to the UFC & that's why the north American fans don't like him as they don't see much of him & when they do he enjoys all the US style trash talk, no more or less than some US fighters but he's a foreigner & if the attitude come's from elsewhere the Yanks don't like it.

Bisping needs to beat Akiyama to prove he can challenge the top boys but even that won't be enough for some fans as they will feel on the big stage, Las Vegas he's yet to do it.
Look at Chael Sonnen, the guy talks more shit than a bog full of arse's & all this after just 4 UFC wins & then a title shot, if Bisping can win on Saturday i'm still not sure he'll get a shot with Silva v Belfort set for February, that would mean he'd have to wait about 8/9 months to face the winner.
Ultimately i think Bisping needs to work on a lot of his game to compete with Anderson Silva & Chael Sonnen, he needs to be able to compete on the ground, he's got a decent defence interms of being able to get back to his feet but he needs to be able to attack on the ground as well, look at Silva v Sonnen, that right there is point taken with fans who will talk about fighters generally but fans like Devin D from Alberta, Canada just talk straight shit with no regards for or against a fighter's skills hence the word bellend.
Allround Bisping needs to work on his feet, head movement & aggression so he can win fights like against Wanderlei Silva, where he was too cautious & that cost him a competing chance where as fighters like Wanderlei will take a chance Bisping is too hesitant, after the fight he said it was the takedown at the end which won the fight for Wanderlei, personally i thought he won the fight without it as like i say Bisping is too cautious & unwilling to take a chance in big fights, when your the champ it's down to the challenger to win the fight, like KJ Noons Strikeforce title fight with Nick Diaz, the commentator stated, a great performance but has he done enough? on the other hand you need the spare of the moment skill like Silva v Sonnen.
Untill Mike can perfect his alround game i don't see him winning the title if at all getting a shot!!! the latter of which is down to how the UFC treat him!!!

UFC Middleweight Rankings April 2010
1. Anderson Silva - Expected to fight Belfort Feb UFC 127.
2. Chael Sonnen - Possible drugs ban till Sep 2011.
3. Vitor Belfort
4. Nate Marquardt - Fighting Okami Nov UFC 122.
5. Demian Maia - Fighting Kendell Grove TUF finale December.
6. Yushin Okami
7. Wanderlei Silva - Expected back from injury early next year.
8. Yoshihiro Akiyama
9. Michael Bisping
10. Mark Munoz - Expected to face Aaron Simpson Nov UFC 123.

What i get from this is, Bisping's next fight could be against.
Marquardt v Okami winner - This would a contender fight for the winner of Silva v Belfort. i don't see him fighting Maia or Munoz as the styles don't match & neither are real title contenders as Maia has to climb back. Wanderlei Silva, Chris Leben - This would confirm the UFC are fucking him about & see him as a good fighter like these two but not a title fighter.

One things for sure Michael Bisping needs to beat Yoshihiro Akiyama & to improve his alround game, desire, will to win & aggression to be in with a chance of being anywhere near the top, that said he's still only 31 so has a good few years left to redevelop himself should he wish to.
As for the north American fans not taking to him, just look at Dan Hardy, he talks shit with the best of them, the pijamas quote still cracks me up to this day but he gained a lot of fans in his title fight with GSP by showing spirit & heart, only time will tell as to if the Yanks have taken to him & that time will be his next fight in the USA where he will talk shit & will show spirit & heart but will the fans cheer???
I see Bisping like James Wade in darts, no matter what he does the crowd will never be intrested...

Hope he knocks Akiyama out in style!The UFC have already said that the winner of Marquardt v Okami will face the winner of Silva v Belfort.I've said before that i would have dangled that carrot in front of the Bisping fight aswell just to add some more interest from around the globe..I don't rate either Belfort or Okami higher than Bisping..But maybe the winner of Bisping v Akiyama isn't deserving of a shot just yet??Who the f**k knows!Just hope Bisp wins on sat and gets closer to a shot.

Watched the Ultimate Submissions dvd last, was very interesting seeing footage from UFC 1, can't believe how different things are now.

A bit of pre fight bulid up UFC fans!

Michael Bisping V Yoshihiro Akiyama

The main event will see Michael Bisping take on Asian sensation Yoshihiro Akiyama in what promises to be a tactical encounter.

Bisping goes into this fight off the back of an impressive victory over middleweight contender Dan Miller at UFC 114; as a result, bookmaker Sky Bet has the Brit as the clear favourite in their UFC betting odds, offering a price of 1/3 for the win.

But for those looking to cheer on an underdog in this event, there is none with a bigger bite than Akiyama. Despite the Judo expert losing his last bout to a rejuvenated Chris Leben in one of the fights of the year at UFC 116, do not underestimate the ability and - more importantly - the heart of the Asian challenger.

Although Sky Bet is offering 2/1 on Akiyama for the win, it would be no surprise to see him with his hand raised in victory at the end of the fight.

Bisping


Dan Hardy V Carlos Condit

The co-main event offers a potentially explosive fight between welterweight contenders Dan Hardy and Carlos Condit.

Hardy, who lost bravely to Georges St-Pierre in his last bout, rightly goes in to this fight as clear favourite at 4/7 with the online betting experts.

Prior to his loss to GSP, Hardy was on a tear in the 170lb division, beating a number of top-class opponents - most notably Mike Swick at UFC 105. Hardy will now be looking to work his way back up the division to earn a shot at the winner of the eagerly anticipated title fight between St-Pierre and Josh Koscheck.

Condit fared somewhat better than Hardy in his previous fight, winning impressively over Rory MacDonald; it demonstrated the tenacity of Condit as MacDonald rocked him numerous times in the fight, yet Condit was able to comeback and win the fight with 10 seconds remaining in the final round.

Condit asked the UFC for this fight and Dan Hardy says he's taken it as a personal insult. If you disagree with Hardy, you can back Condit for the win at 5/4 with Sky Bet.

Hardy


John Hathaway V Mike Pyle

The fight between John Hathaway and Mike Pyle will provide another opportunity to see one of Britain's brightest prospects.

After an impressive victory over former lightweight contender Diego Sanchez, the ex-rugby player Hathaway comes into this fight as 1/5 favourite.

Hathaway has a record of 4-0 in the UFC and has won his last three fights via unanimous decision; Sky Bet offer a price of 15/8 for the Brit to win via unanimous decision yet again. Mike Pyle is available at 10/3.

Hathaway


James Wilks V Claude Patrick

Ultimate Fighter season 9 winner James Wilks will take on Canadian contender Claude Patrick, who has won his last 11 fights - nine of which were via submission. Sky Bet offer 5/2 for Patrick to make Wilks tap out, but the smart money will be on Wilks at 1/2 as he looks to build on his win over German Peter Sobotta.

Wilks


Cheick Kongo V Travis Browne

The final fight on the main card is a literal clash of giants, both of whom will look to meet at the centre of the octagon and throw punches with bad intentions. It will be enthralling but it could also be short - both possess the power to end this quickly.

With Kongo having more power and experience, he is the obvious favourite in this one; Sky Bet agrees with a price of 1/3. But the 6ft 7in American Browne cannot be underestimated after his victory over TUF 10 contender James McSweeney. His size and reach may well prove awkward for the heavy-handed Frenchman, and Sky Bet make him a 2/1 shot to dispose of Kongo.

Kongo


Should be a great night

Any predictions for tonight lads?

(16-10-2010 14:36 )groundnpound Wrote:  Any predictions for tonight lads?

Been on it for the last half hour but had to nip out to do my score predictions

Copy & paste to follow!!!