Gabriel Gonzaga vs Randy Couture- UFC 74

Daniel · 05-07-2007, 12:57 PM

I'm interested in the poll results for this. I have a feeling Randy Couture is going to be underestimated once again and come up on top with a superior, well played game plan that drops everybody's jaw, much like his fight with Tim Sylvia.

Crashsti · 05-07-2007, 01:03 PM

i am going to vote against Randy again. one of these days Father Time has to catch up with him. i am also taking into account that Couture himself admitted that he would have rather fought Mirko. perhaps that is just a mind game Randy is playing to get Gonzaga overconfident but it is in line with his mentality when he began cutting to 205. Couture never really felt he was big enough to deal with the true Heavyweights even though he was successful as one.

subgenius · 05-07-2007, 01:15 PM

I voted for Couture. I think that he will defeat Napao.

HaVoK · 05-07-2007, 01:18 PM

As long Randy doesn't take Gonzaga lightly I see him winning.

Crashsti · 05-07-2007, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subgenius

I voted for Couture. I think that he will defeat Napao.

i was shocked when Randy beat Big Tim. i won't be shocked if he does beat Napao, just a little surprised. still, i think about Tim coming out with that injury to his sciatic nerve and wonder how much of Randy's dominance in that fight was due to the injury or is Randy just that good? Randy has nothing to lose in this fight, same as when he fought Tim. he has the potential to retire(again) as the greatest MMA fighter to date. i think he will fight with that same intensity but i still don't plan on putting any real money on either guy.

Gooner · 05-07-2007, 01:35 PM

I voted for Gonzaga.

I don't think I'm underestimating Randy at all, nor do I think this is about Randy's age. I just see it as a bad, bad match-up for him.

He's developed as a fighter since his losses to Barnett and Ricco, but I don't think he's developed in the area that matters the most against guys like GG, Banett and Ricco.
I think he will/would be outwrestled by all those guys and after being on his back against those big bastards for a while, he's gonna fatigue.
I see Gonzaga winning by either TKO or submission, but knowing Randy he could make it to a decision too.

Regardless of the outcome, he's earned my respect a long, long time ago.

subgenius · 05-07-2007, 01:39 PM

I think that Randy Couture has become proficient at scouting his opponents and scouting fighters in general. Listening to him talk about Napao at the last PPV, it was easy to see that Couture knew a lot about Gonzaga. Being ready for the fight is important. But, knowing the opponent is essential. Couture seems to know what Gonzaga has been capable of in the past. He predicted a Napao win over Cro Cop. I think Randy Couture is training super-hard for Napao.

Nimmy · 05-07-2007, 01:40 PM

i liek both these gusy they are in my top 5 fighters list id say, i voted for randy tho.

BlingDogg · 05-07-2007, 02:36 PM

I voted Old Man Couture. He always comes up with a smart gameplan. Gonzaga may be a bad matchup for him, but Couture's smarts will earn him the victory.

Couture wins via decision.

Osnodon · 05-07-2007, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subgenius

I think that Randy Couture has become proficient at scouting his opponents and scouting fighters in general. Listening to him talk about Napao at the last PPV, it was easy to see that Couture knew a lot about Gonzaga. Being ready for the fight is important. But, knowing the opponent is essential. Couture seems to know what Gonzaga has been capable of in the past. He predicted a Napao win over Cro Cop. I think Randy Couture is training super-hard for Napao.

I couldn't have said it any better.

Gooner · 05-07-2007, 03:31 PM

Sometimes even a perfect gameplan isn't enough.
You can plan stuff all you want, and train as hard as you can, but even then there are guys out there that will beat you.

Unless you're Fedor of course.

Osnodon · 05-07-2007, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gooner

Sometimes even a perfect gameplan isn't enough.
You can plan stuff all you want, and train as hard as you can, but even then there are guys out there that will beat you.

Unless you're Fedor of course.

I think that Couture is more talented and along with a perfect gameplan he will take him out.

MTKrav911 · 05-07-2007, 04:04 PM

I think COuture's fighting prowess is in his outstanding ability to adapt and perform to his opponents weaknesses.

Gonzaga will be a challenge because he's big, and back a few years ago, that was Randy's problem. But, I think with is outstanding victory over Big Tim, that is no longer an issue. Randy is a master strategist that will come with a game plan and have the right guys getting him ready for a big guy with skillz like Gonzaga.

Should be interesting.

jbomb919 · 05-07-2007, 04:11 PM

From now on I am always going to vote for the underdog! Whoever that is in this fight.

Daniel · 05-07-2007, 04:14 PM

The way I see it is that these two are both very well rounded fighters, and if you take their collective talent and abilities and stack them up next to each other, GG's stack comes up a bit shorter than Couture's.

Couture's age is a non-issue. He's healthy, and he can go five rounds without a problem. Maybe not if he spends a lot of time on the bottom, but quite likely.

I think Randy will win due to experience and strategy. He'll predict a lot of what GG is going to bring to the octagon and he'll work around it. The problem is that Randy doesn't knock people out too often, and he can climb all over GG for five rounds and he probably won't find a submission- the dude is a BJJ black belt. Randy's biggest chance of finishing this fight is good old TKO by ground n pound, but I see him getting a decision. We haven't seen GGs cardio put to the test, and I imagine that by the end of round five, he'll have that same hopeless expression on his face as Jacob Ortiz and Tim Sylvia had after Randy outperformed them.

The problem is that GG is such a beast, he can win at any second. I would put the odds at about 40% GG, 60% Randy Couture.

DISCO · 05-07-2007, 04:20 PM

I'd flip the previous odds in favor of Gonzaga. You're forgetting Gonzaga is constantly being under-rated. Constantly. He's got the youth (and no, you can't say age is a non-issue, ever. Never ever.) he's got the size, he's got the background. Gonzaga's got the tools in the toolbelt to bring about a spanking... and probably the only jaw that Couture's gonna drop is the PPV audience's collective jaw when the fight ends in the first round. Again.

Daniel · 05-07-2007, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DISCO

I'd flip the previous odds in favor of Gonzaga. You're forgetting Gonzaga is constantly being under-rated. Constantly. He's got the youth (and no, you can't say age is a non-issue, ever. Never ever.) he's got the size, he's got the background. Gonzaga's got the tools in the toolbelt to bring about a spanking... and probably the only jaw that Couture's gonna drop is the PPV audience's collective jaw when the fight ends in the first round. Again.

It very well could. It's not like Gonzaga just started throwing head kicks that night he fought CC, that power and ability has been consistent so far. An old man can't fight because he lacks strength, speed, and conditioning, but if you're young enough and healthy enough that you still possess those things but also possess the experience that comes with age, I would say that is an advantage over youth. 40-60 makes sense to me, I don't think I'm under rating him at all. Randy Couture is a legend and a masterpiece of a human being- to come up with 40 odds against him is a feat. But you could be right, man. I can't doubt that. Randy Couture could end up KTFO inside 20 seconds, that's just the kind of animal he's dealing with here.

Gooner · 05-07-2007, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel

The way I see it is that these two are both very well rounded fighters, and if you take their collective talent and abilities and stack them up next to each other, GG's stack comes up a bit shorter than Couture's.

Couture's age is a non-issue. He's healthy, and he can go five rounds without a problem. Maybe not if he spends a lot of time on the bottom, but quite likely.

I think Randy will win due to experience and strategy. He'll predict a lot of what GG is going to bring to the octagon and he'll work around it. The problem is that Randy doesn't knock people out too often, and he can climb all over GG for five rounds and he probably won't find a submission- the dude is a BJJ black belt. Randy's biggest chance of finishing this fight is good old TKO by ground n pound, but I see him getting a decision. We haven't seen GGs cardio put to the test, and I imagine that by the end of round five, he'll have that same hopeless expression on his face as Jacob Ortiz and Tim Sylvia had after Randy outperformed them.

The problem is that GG is such a beast, he can win at any second. I would put the odds at about 40% GG, 60% Randy Couture.

I don't agree with that.
Randy has never KO'd anybody. GG has had two KO's in the UFC (one over Crocop obviously) and he's finished all four of his UFC fights. I give the advantage in striking to Gonzaga.
Same thing with submissions. Even if Randy succeeds in getting GG down, I think he will have a hard time dishing out any effective GnP.
Wrestling-wise Randy is surely technically better of the two. But he's also the smaller guy.

I'll be interested in seeing what kind of a gameplan Randy comes up with.
I think GG won't be as afraid of the takedown as Sylvia was and he will let the strikes fly in a less reserved way.

GG's cardio could be the deciding factor here definitely. He's said he respects Randy like no other and that he'll train for the fight twice as hard as he did against Crocop. So, he really should have a decent cardio coming in.
But cardio won't be the issue for him if he gets the top position. Which I think is going to happen.

DISCO · 05-07-2007, 04:52 PM

Two really different takes on Gonzaga vs. Couture. I love it. Gooner, you bring up a really relevant point: Gonzaga's gonna train like a fiend getting ready for Couture BECAUSE it's a title fight. He's not gonna just talk the way I believe GSP did when he described his Serra-fight preps. What a load of horse-poop he fed us. And Daniel, you're right, Couture is a veritable textbook when it comes to tactics. Brains or brawn: both guys have a measure of each.

Pitbull · 05-07-2007, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gooner

I don't agree with that.
Randy has never KO'd anybody. GG has had two KO's in the UFC (one over Crocop obviously) and he's finished all four of his UFC fights. I give the advantage in striking to Gonzaga.
Same thing with submissions. Even if Randy succeeds in getting GG down, I think he will have a hard time dishing out any effective GnP.
Wrestling-wise Randy is surely technically better of the two. But he's also the smaller guy.

I'll be interested in seeing what kind of a gameplan Randy comes up with.
I think GG won't be as afraid of the takedown as Sylvia was and he will let the strikes fly in a less reserved way.

GG's cardio could be the deciding factor here definitely. He's said he respects Randy like no other and that he'll train for the fight twice as hard as he did against Crocop. So, he really should have a decent cardio coming in.
But cardio won't be the issue for him if he gets the top position. Which I think is going to happen.

I agree with you, man. Yes, Randy always comes into a fight in-shape with a good gameplan, but I'm sure Gonzaga will as well.

But, Randy has trouble with the bigger grapplers.

I give Gonzaga the striking edge, and it becomes more a factor when he strikes without having to worry about the takedown. Gonzaga would prefer to be on the ground anyway.