Shogun vs Hendo

[mattboxingfan]

Epic fight, I thought Shogun should have got at least a draw though he dominated the last two rounds, Hendo was done completely after 3 rounds.

Not sure what I think of Hendo fighting for the title. I give him virtually no chance against Jon Jones, he won't last the distance imo and will get completely destroyed.

Cung Lee is like all the other Asian figters on the octagon. Technically amazing but not a real fighter.
I knew he would get knocked out, he's an action movie star with some fancy kicks, not a real cage fighter. He wouldn't beat any of the top guys in that weight class. Wanderlai is still shot imo and will get sparked in his next step up fight.

You gave him no chance against any of the top guys in the UFC and yet he just beat Shogun. Not long until he gets that strap and proves alot more people wrong.

[Kev]

Epic fight, I thought Shogun should have got at least a draw though he dominated the last two rounds, Hendo was done completely after 3 rounds.

Not sure what I think of Hendo fighting for the title. I give him virtually no chance against Jon Jones, he won't last the distance imo and will get completely destroyed.

Cung Lee is like all the other Asian figters on the octagon. Technically amazing but not a real fighter.
I knew he would get knocked out, he's an action movie star with some fancy kicks, not a real cage fighter. He wouldn't beat any of the top guys in that weight class. Wanderlai is still shot imo and will get sparked in his next step up fight.

You gave him no chance against any of the top guys in the UFC and yet he just beat Shogun. Not long until he gets that strap and proves alot more people wrong.

That fight just proved my point. I didn't say he had no chance against Shogun. On the contrary I said he was at about that level, slightly above Forrest Griffin. Going life and death with Shogun, himself frustratingly inconsistent, in a fight where he seconds away from being finished, squeaking a decision because of his early work just shows the gulf between him and Jon Jones.

Seriously, on that performance you think he's going to be UFC champ?

I like Hendo, he's a tough, hard man and exciting to watch but the gulf between him and Jones/Silva is the same as the gulf betwee Hatton and Mayweather.

He has a punchers chance in the first round and that is it. Fighting a war with a guy Jones literally destroyed just confirms that.

[Kev]

This is what I said about Hendo's chances a couple months back

Guys I'm not knocking Hendo I think he's a great fighter, I'm just saying that as he tried, and failed to conquer the UFC a few years ago and failed I don't see it that likely that he will go return and become the UFC champion.

Yes he has a punchers chance, and knowing Dana could well come back and virtually walk into a title shot off the back of the Fedor win so it's not impossible.

I just think the best guys are all ahead of him right now and I'd fancy Jones, Rampage, Rashaad and Machida over hij, maybe Rua too.

Saying he's on a level with Forrest Griffin isn't a bad thing. He's had some good wins. But I'm sure none of you realistically expect Griffin to be UFC champion again, and I'd say the same of Hendo.

Although following on from his win over Fedor if he does come back he will likely land a big fight.

I'm just going to stick my neck out and say against one of those top guys I mentioned he won't win it.

Fair enough, he did beat Shogun, barely, although he was on his way to getting stopped. Shigun imo is the weakest of the recent UFC champiosn, along with Griffin.

Hendo fought a great fight but showed his limits. Jones will beat him easily.

[VictorCharlie]

I thought the Hendo/Shogun fight was a push odds wise. Other than Hendo's cardio it played it out like I thought. Shogun's aggression was solidly countered by Dan's power. In regards to Dan vs Jones I just don't think Dan is versatile enough or athletic enough to win. Shogun has good striking but its not particularly technical which with Dan's chin and power was countered well. Jones does a particularly good jab at mixing his striking and wrestling to keep his opponent off balance. While Dan is a decorated wrestler he doesn't use it very well offensively or as TD defense. Shields took him down at will and Shogun had success as well. I don't see Dan being able to dictate where and how a fight with Jones happens. His durability and power combined with Jone's flashy striking will provide some opportunities to test the champs beard but I think Jones wins a wide UD or late stoppage. If I were Dan I'd get with Randy and train hard on dirty boxing. His best chance will be to keep Jones against the fence and rough him up on the way to an ugly win. That is a tough task though.

[Kev]

I thought the Hendo/Shogun fight was a push odds wise. Other than Hendo's cardio it played it out like I thought. Shogun's aggression was solidly countered by Dan's power. In regards to Dan vs Jones I just don't think Dan is versatile enough or athletic enough to win. Shogun has good striking but its not particularly technical which with Dan's chin and power was countered well. Jones does a particularly good jab at mixing his striking and wrestling to keep his opponent off balance. While Dan is a decorated wrestler he doesn't use it very well offensively or as TD defense. Shields took him down at will and Shogun had success as well. I don't see Dan being able to dictate where and how a fight with Jones happens. His durability and power combined with Jone's flashy striking will provide some opportunities to test the champs beard but I think Jones wins a wide UD or late stoppage. If I were Dan I'd get with Randy and train hard on dirty boxing. His best chance will be to keep Jones against the fence and rough him up on the way to an ugly win. That is a tough task though.

I have no doubt if he landed on Jones he could finish him. I don't see a young kid like Jones standing up Hendo's proven power. So I give a punchers chance. But Jones is so long limbed he can attack from several yards away, it's like a US aircraft carrier shelling an island out of reach of the nation's defences. I just see it going almost exactly the way the fight with Jones and Rampage did, Hendo being beaten on the outside and then choked out in the championship rounds.

For me, the 205 division has been the weakest in terms of the man at the top for a while. Great strength in depth, lots of very good fighters, nobody great. At welter you have St Pierre, middle Silva, heavyweight Cain and Dos Santos. Light heavy for me didn't have a truly great fighter until Jones came along all the top guys were capable of beating each other, which is why even Forrest Griffin got a belt, and why nobody kept it for more than one or two defences.

Hendo, Machida, Rampage, Rashad, Griffin, Rua etc are all very similar talentwise. There is less seperating any of them, than the gap between them all and Jones. I don't give any of them a shot at upsetting him, other than through some freakish event, shock one punch KO in the first round, DQ, injury etc.

[mattboxingfan]

This is what I said about Hendo's chances a couple months back

Guys I'm not knocking Hendo I think he's a great fighter, I'm just saying that as he tried, and failed to conquer the UFC a few years ago and failed I don't see it that likely that he will go return and become the UFC champion.

Yes he has a punchers chance, and knowing Dana could well come back and virtually walk into a title shot off the back of the Fedor win so it's not impossible.

I just think the best guys are all ahead of him right now and I'd fancy Jones, Rampage, Rashaad and Machida over hij, maybe Rua too.

Saying he's on a level with Forrest Griffin isn't a bad thing. He's had some good wins. But I'm sure none of you realistically expect Griffin to be UFC champion again, and I'd say the same of Hendo.

Although following on from his win over Fedor if he does come back he will likely land a big fight.

I'm just going to stick my neck out and say against one of those top guys I mentioned he won't win it.

Fair enough, he did beat Shogun, barely, although he was on his way to getting stopped. Shigun imo is the weakest of the recent UFC champiosn, along with Griffin.

Hendo fought a great fight but showed his limits. Jones will beat him easily.

You change your tune to suit. You missed the bit were you list the fighters he wont be able to beat which had Shogun.

Barely beat Shogun? I think the only guy who almost got stopped was Shogun in that third round. Considering the change of main events being 5 rounders he would have had that fight in the bag had it been a 3 rounder not to mention it seem'd as though he hurt his hand which may have been the reason Shogun survived.

He won and he's coming for Jones.

[VictorCharlie]

I think Lyoto has the best chance of defeating Jones on paper. He has terrific TD defense and a very sound and awkward striking style. If Jones soundly beat Machida then other than landing that one big punch I don't see any of the LHW crop beating Jones.

[mattboxingfan]

I see three people in the division who could beat Jones.

Rashad has fast hands and great striking along with outstanding wrestling I think he poses huge threats to Jones

Hendo has amazing power and a chin of granite. Along with huge amounts of experience a olympic wrestling he can beat Jones.

Phil Davis not right now but give him a few fights and he will be a real threat. He is a powerful wrestler and just needs to develop his striking thn he will be a threat.

Everyone is acting like Jones is some sort of God wait until we see him get hit on that chin.

[Mattyhitman]

wait until we see him get hit on that chin.

This has happened only a few times, and he has dealt well with it. Reason some say what your saying, is because he doesnt get hit clean very often now, which is simply down to the fact it's hard to close the distance on him. You know as well as I do his reach is the longest in the LHW division. If he wants to keep you at distance he will. Jackson has probably one of the best 1 punch KO in the division, a devastating puncher. He could do nothing with him. Shogun, again a big and more clinical striker than Hendo, could do nothing with him.
For some one who watch's MMA im suprised at your ignorance towards Jones' skill set