Fedor vs. Hunt announced for NYE!

[Alexander]

Anyone think Hunt has a decent chance? The belt is on the line. I'd rather see him fight Barnett or Mirko, but they are both a little banged up. Fedor by submission RD 1. I wonder if he'll bang with Hunt for a little.

 

[warriorway]

Mark Hunt has a slim chance. For sure Fedor will bang with him, I don't know if it would hurt him though. How many times did Mirko kick him(Hunt) in the head and he just kept comin?

 

[Beowulf]

Fedor might stand with him for a bit. Fedor seems to like to beat people at their own game, as he did with Nog...he wasn't trying to sub Nog, he just kept himself in perpetual danger. I guess in other cases, such as the first fight with Coleman, as soon as he gets into a bit of trouble he goes for a quick win. Regardless it'll be interesting.

 

[size]

If Fedor can KO Hunt, then Fedor has some of the strongest hands in the world.
While I like Hunt, I do not think he should get this fight. I expect Fedor hit him a few times then toss then submit.

 

[Alexander]

If Fedor can KO Hunt, then Fedor has some of the strongest hands in the world.
While I like Hunt, I do not think he should get this fight. I expect Fedor hit him a few times then toss then submit.

Yeah, Fedor KOing Hunt would be unreal, but with Fedor it is possible. I think you're dead on in your prediction.

 

[fbxdan]

Yeah, Fedor KOing Hunt would be unreal, but with Fedor it is possible. I think you're dead on in your prediction.

It is possible, but I think it is a slim possibility. I dont think Fedor will knock Hunt out, as that is close to impossible (unless maybe via ground and pound), but I think that he might try to trade with Hunt for awhile. In his fight with Cro-Cop he was trading at will, and beating Mirko at his own game. He actually hit Cro Cop with a "superman" punch if I recall correctly, lol. I see Fedor landing some shots on Hunt, enough to make the fight exciting, and then taking him to the ground for an easy submission win.

 

[exnihilo]

Fedor will bang with hunt just until hunt hurts him, then it'll go to the canvas where hunt will get eaten alive.

 

[Rodja]

I think Barnett has a chance against Fedor, but outside of him and CC the threats end. I really like Nog, but he just can't seem to get it together against Fedor.

 

[ugab37]

Rodja, do you think anyone in the world at any weighclass has as good a game as Fedor? I been following MMA for some time and Im so sick of everyone talking about all the ufc guys. Do you think anyone in the UFC would even have a small chance against Fedor? To me, hes as close to unbeatable as Ive ever seen.

 

[exnihilo]

As far as the UFC goes, I think if GSP continues developing the way he has been that he'll reach Fedor's level of skill within a couple of years. Crocop and Barnett are both improving a lot as well, though I don't think Mirko has what it takes to handle Fedor in their upcoming fight, another year or two may change my feelings on that.

 

[Rodja]

Rodja, do you think anyone in the world at any weighclass has as good a game as Fedor? I been following MMA for some time and Im so sick of everyone talking about all the ufc guys. Do you think anyone in the UFC would even have a small chance against Fedor? To me, hes as close to unbeatable as Ive ever seen.

UFC? No, not by any means. There us no way in hell that any UFC HW has a chance against Fedor. GSP may enter that realm of dominance, but he has to plow through BJ Penn before I will label him as dominant.

 

[Alexander]

As far as the UFC goes, I think if GSP continues developing the way he has been that he'll reach Fedor's level of skill within a couple of years. Crocop and Barnett are both improving a lot as well, though I don't think Mirko has what it takes to handle Fedor in their upcoming fight, another year or two may change my feelings on that.

GSP is a great fighter, but I don't see him ever being on Fedor's level. You could be right though, only time will tell and GSP is pretty young. The UFC WW division will give him the opportunity to show his skills, I'd love to see him fight Fitch, Penn II, Diego, Kos, and maybe Hughes in a rubber match.

 

[ersatz]

GSP could never compete against Fedor, merely due to size differences. UFC hw may have a chance albeit very slim. We really don't know how good Fedor's chin is, he got rocked once by Fujita but that's as far as its been tested. It's possible the Sylvia, because of his height could cause problems, but I jsut see Fedor closing the distance, gettingthe takedown and sub or GnP him.

Fedor fights very intelligently and agaisnt Hunt, I doubt he'll stand and trade. He'll trade initially jsut to step up the takedown and win from there. Even against Mirko he was smart enough not to trade but just kept pressing Mirko. Crocop could never get his left roundhouse off in that fight or counter Fedor's pressuring.

In the UFC, Chuck has the best shot because of his KO power and good takedown defense. But look at Mirko, arguably better than Chuck and he couldn't do it.

As for Barnett, he doesn't like to get hit so I see Fedor punishing him into a sub. Fedor fights so inteliigently I just don't see him losing unless he walks into a punch or makes a mistake.

 

[exnihilo]

Barnett will never be in fedor's league, for sure. Only Mirko has a shot and that's contingent on him being able to devise and execute a gameplan that lets him keep control of the fight, so he doesn't end up eating fedor GnP.

 

[Alexander]

GSP could never compete against Fedor, merely due to size differences. UFC hw may have a chance albeit very slim. We really don't know how good Fedor's chin is, he got rocked once by Fujita but that's as far as its been tested. It's possible the Sylvia, because of his height could cause problems, but I jsut see Fedor closing the distance, gettingthe takedown and sub or GnP him.

Fedor fights very intelligently and agaisnt Hunt, I doubt he'll stand and trade. He'll trade initially jsut to step up the takedown and win from there. Even against Mirko he was smart enough not to trade but just kept pressing Mirko. Crocop could never get his left roundhouse off in that fight or counter Fedor's pressuring.

In the UFC, Chuck has the best shot because of his KO power and good takedown defense. But look at Mirko, arguably better than Chuck and he couldn't do it.

As for Barnett, he doesn't like to get hit so I see Fedor punishing him into a sub. Fedor fights so inteliigently I just don't see him losing unless he walks into a punch or makes a mistake.

When I said GSP will never be on Fedor's level I meant pound 4 pound of course. Fedor would obviously kill GSP in a fight. Nobody really has a good chance against Fedor, scary thing is he is always improving and not many other top tier fighters can say the same.

 

[concretetofists]

am i the only one who is not excited for fedor/hunt at all?

 

[Alexander]

am i the only one who is not excited for fedor/hunt at all?

Maybe. There are a few other fighters I'd rather see against Fedor, but I'm always excited if Fedor is fighting.

 

[concretetofists]

Maybe. There are a few other fighters I'd rather see against Fedor, but I'm always excited if Fedor is fighting.

yeah, but i dunno, i dont predict a very exciting fight. he is too quick for hunt.

 

[exnihilo]

I agree with both of you, Fedor is always a treat, but, to my mind, this matchup has a high dud potential.

On the "Who could matchup with Fedor' question, there's a trio of getting too old K-1 champs that might be able to make a successful transition to MMA - Hoost/Aerts/Le Banner, and maybe Alexander Karelin might be coaxed out of retirement.

This is just idle speculation, cause I don't think any of these are willing to learn the groundwork necessary, except maybe Groundmonster Karelin, at a lower rate of pay, that's why I don't think we'll ever see Semmy Schilt back in MMA, too little incentive for all these to risk getting Kharitonov'd.

Don't know why Mirko left K-1, Hunt was probably tired of getting flogged by JLB.

Personally I think LeBanner would make a great MMA fighter. Hoost and Aerts wouldn't make the transition so well though.

Semmy Schilt should go fight in the UFC. I'd pay to watch him dismantle Tim Sylvia... That would put Tim's ego in check.

 

[Alexander]

Personally I think LeBanner would make a great MMA fighter. Hoost and Aerts wouldn't make the transition so well though.

Semmy Schilt should go fight in the UFC. I'd pay to watch him dismantle Tim Sylvia... That would put Tim's ego in check.

It seems like LeBanner would make a great MMA fighter, but it seems that he has that stand-up or nothing mentality stuck in his head. When he is on the ground it looks like he gets really frustrated. If he wanted it he could probably do very well, but he'd rather stand up and bang. I'd love to see Schilt telephone pole jab Sylvia into next week.

 

[Alexander]

Schilt just got $400K prize money for winning the K-1 Grandprix, the UFC does'nt want to pay his rates to see their champ get whacked down. Schilt has no groundgame, even Sylvia could beat him there.

Hong Man Choi and Karelin, I say. Most of you don't know who these two are, Choi is a monster sized, well over 7' 400 +Lbs K-1 fighter, Karelin was the Olympic Greco Roman Superheavyweight champion, undefeated in 17 years and not by Rulan Gardner, Karelin DQ'd himself. Those two could smash Timmy with some training. Fedor? I'd never bet against that guy.

K-1 has the same problem that the UFC HW division does, Semi, pun intended, skilled fighters who are hurting competitiveness and entertainment value from winning by virtue of their height and reach, and not their superior skills.

I don't know if Choi could every be decent on the ground, but its possible. I don't know how old Karelin is(42?) but man him at 30 in MMA would have been unreal. What an unbelievable athlete he is and a monster at that. I'd love to see him against Rulon in Pride, not that it would be close. Right now Fedor stands alone.