Aug 27 2010
UFC 118 Preview – BJ Penn Vs Frankie Edgar
This is an oddly balanced show, but one that should be very successful. There are fights that should appease the appetites of the hardcore UFC fanbase such as the actual main event between BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar. There are also fights like Gray Maynard vs. Kenny Florian and Nate Diaz vs. Marcus Davis that should be a great match-ups style-wise.
And then there’s the fight that’s drawing the casual audience. As you will see below, James Toney vs. Randy Couture is a polarizing battle. Some absolutely hate it. Some, like myself, are fine with it. But it is what it is. Let’s get to it.
The FGB crew (with new writer Don), along with Stevie J from Angry Marks, friend of FGB JP, and Ryan Frederick, ryanjfrederick on Twitter and member of the F4W Board~!, are here with predictions for the top two fights on the card.
James Toney vs. Randy Couture
Duan: Couture by 1st round submission
Alan: Couture by 1st round submission
Don: Couture by 1st round submission
Stevie J: Couture by 1st round TKO
JP: Couture by 1st round TKO
Ryan: Couture by 1st round TKO
Jim: Couture by 1st round submission
GG: Couture by 1st round TKO
Duan says:
I have stayed very quiet on this one, and this preview contains all the words I’m prepared to waste on this fiasco. I don’t care how news worthy the fight turns out to be, Toney can win by overhead bicycle kick for all I care, I will still have nothing further to add. I’m sick of hearing about this being an interesting match up of styles. Is it 2001 again? I thought we had moved on from this sort of nonsense.
Let’s get something straight, Randy Couture is not a top mixed martial artists any more. He’s prolonged his career with some clever match making, but at this point he’s at best a mid level guy. James Toney is a decade, several weight classes, and an entirely different sport past his best. The combined age of the combatants in this fight falls just one year short of ninety. It’s beyond a joke; if you are buying this PPV for this fight, please save your money instead.
If Toney does connect clean with the old man in 4oz gloves, it’s not going to be a pretty sight, but he has all of about 5 seconds to do that. Let’s just dispel this right now, there is no way in hell Toney shrugs off even a single take down attempt. This is an Olympic calibre wrestler against a complete novice. Forget about it. His best chance in this fight is to create distance and try pick Couture off on the way in. The problem is Toney doesn’t actually move. He fights in range, and that means he’s close enough to be taken down. He has to knock Couture out with the first punch thrown or else he’s on the mat, and will either submit to strikes or a submission within the first minute. And I can’t imagine someone as strategically smart as Couture will be foolish enough to get caught.