Ninja Out, Villasenor In...

Mulla · 04-17-2008, 11:10 AM

- ELITE XC-CBS FIGHT CARD, VILLASENOR STEPS IN - MMA WEEKLY - Mixed Martial Arts & UFC News, Photos, Rankings & more

Quote:

EliteXC announced Phil Baroni returning to action to face former middleweight champion Murilo “Ninja” Rua. Later in the day, however, the promotion switched gears and announced that Team Jackson fighter Joey Villasenor would replace Rua. No reason was given for the change in opponents.

Strange?! Maybe they just felt an American opponent would be a bigger draw?

T-Bone · 04-17-2008, 11:53 AM

Without Ninja, what kind of ground games are gonna be on display for the EliteXC CBS event?

Drew Shayze · 04-17-2008, 12:10 PM

lol at Ninja displaying his ground game. You know that guy likes to use his sloppy stand-up and not his underrated ground game.

I like this replacement, as Villasenor is actually a solid fighter. He's hit or miss, sure, but at least he actually has a chance to win this fight instead of being brutally KO'ed.

T-Bone · 04-17-2008, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew Shayze

lol at Ninja displaying his ground game. You know that guy likes to use his sloppy stand-up and not his underrated ground game.

I like this replacement, as Villasenor is actually a solid fighter. He's hit or miss, sure, but at least he actually has a chance to win this fight instead of being brutally KO'ed.

Sloppy stand-up...

For Baroni, I figured we might see some of the ground game.

Yeah Villansenor isn't bad at all. Smokin' Joe.

Gygax · 04-17-2008, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew Shayze

lol at Ninja displaying his ground game. You know that guy likes to use his sloppy stand-up and not his underrated ground game.

I like this replacement, as Villasenor is actually a solid fighter. He's hit or miss, sure, but at least he actually has a chance to win this fight instead of being brutally KO'ed.

Don't make it like Ninja never takes the fights to the ground. 8 of his 15 wins have come via submission, including a heel hook and a variety of chokes. Rua would easily outclass Baroni on the ground and would have little problems getting it there when he wanted to. I like Joey, but he's a step down in competition level. Rua would have been a decent favorite over NYBA, whereas the line will likely be a Pick'em.

It will be interesting to find out why Ninja was removed. Was it an injury, or was it that Gary Shaw was worried that Ninja might take this fight to the ground, something he clearly abhors. This wouldn't be the first time Shaw has pulled the rug out from under the legs of a fighter who agreed to a bout. Ask Gary Turner how he feels about Shaw.

Drew Shayze · 04-17-2008, 12:23 PM

Ninja really needs to start using his ground game more, as that's his best weapon. Why he doesn't is beyond me. Azeredo's another guy with a solid ground game, but he uses it more.

More past Chute Box guys need to start tapping instead of scrapping.

Quote:

Don't make it like Ninja never takes the fights to the ground. 8 of his 15 wins have come via submission, including a heel hook and a variety of chokes.

Have you seen Ninja lately? The guy barely uses his ground game anymore, and is constantly getting into slugfests with guys he shouldn't be slugging with. Does he have sub wins? Sure he does, that's where the underrated ground game thing comes from.

Drewplata · 04-17-2008, 02:20 PM

Of course they had to wait until [i]after[i] the pre-sale to announce this. Can't say I'm not disappointed. Maybe the idea was to give the NYBA a better (if still a very long) shot at winning in his bad-ass area; NJ will be as good as it can get for Baroni until NY allows MMA. Next thing you know, they'll replace Gina Carrano with Janet Reno.

Gygax · 04-17-2008, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drewplata

Of course they had to wait until [i]after[i] the pre-sale to announce this. Can't say I'm not disappointed. Maybe the idea was to give the NYBA a better (if still a very long) shot at winning in his bad-ass area; NJ will be as good as it can get for Baroni until NY allows MMA. Next thing you know, they'll replace Gina Carrano with Janet Reno.

I hate to say this, but it wouldn't surprise me even slightly if Gina Carano drops out. She said she will be training for the fight and filming a new season of AG at the same time. While she thinks she can do it, she doesn't sound 100% sure. This interview with Ariel Helwani is pretty enlightening regarding this.

Drewplata · 04-17-2008, 02:31 PM

I have a great idea- why not ruin my day?

Gygax · 04-17-2008, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drewplata

I have a great idea- why not ruin my day?

LOL.

Okay, the Mohegun Sun just banned MMA from this day forward. Thus the IFL event is gone.

And the Prudential Center just banned all spectators named Drew!

Flying Triangle Choke · 04-17-2008, 03:24 PM

As much as it would suck for anyone who bought tickets, I think Carano should stay away from this card. I hate to say that, but I don't see how she can balance the show and the training. If she can pull it off though, major props to her.

MTKrav911 · 04-17-2008, 04:21 PM

You think maybe Dana's

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

this UFC is that Rua is being signed?

dsver1 · 04-17-2008, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTKrav911

You think maybe Dana's

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

this UFC is that Rua is being signed?

that would be some crazy ****! I'm more amazed that no MMA media outlet is making a bigger deal about this. Everyone seems to be reporting it in a matter-of-fact sort of way. Usually, when any fighter is replaced without a reason, there's major speculation. Through in the fact that he's a Rua brother and I'm even more amazed at the silence.

MTKrav911 · 04-17-2008, 04:49 PM

LIke I said, and on Inside the MMA they were talking about this a few weeks ago about The UFC having a crazy ability to get whichever fighter they wanted when they wanted except Fedor.

The UFC just makes you not able to say no. And with that press release today that all UFC fighters make at least 100k a year? That's insane marketability.

So who knows? Maybe Ninja is on his way. We just can't know I guess until After UFC 83 pro or con

Drewplata · 04-17-2008, 07:20 PM

Do you think Ninja would be a "major announcement"? Don't get me wrong, it would be to me, but I don't think that signing Ninja would mean anything to 80% of people watching the UFC. I can see it now "Shogun's brother? The guy who lost to Forrest?"

Jasp · 04-18-2008, 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drewplata

Do you think Ninja would be a "major announcement"? Don't get me wrong, it would be to me, but I don't think that signing Ninja would mean anything to 80% of people watching the UFC. I can see it now "Shogun's brother? The guy who lost to Forrest?"

Agree! Signing Shogun was a major announcement signing Ninja, not so much.
If Shogun had gone out and just ripped forrest apart then it would have been a major announcement to sign Ninja aswell.

dsver1 · 04-18-2008, 11:12 AM

Speaking of brothers, I'm still wondering when they're going to sign Little Nog.

AllTrac · 04-19-2008, 06:30 AM

Gary Shaw strikes again, i doubt ninja is going any but rather this move is to put a fighter into the cage with Baroni that will keep it standing up.

MMA is just that, mixed martial arts. If people want to see fighters using only their fists they should watch boxing and maybe that is where Shaw should return too.

FightFan76 · 04-19-2008, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gygax

Don't make it like Ninja never takes the fights to the ground. 8 of his 15 wins have come via submission, including a heel hook and a variety of chokes. Rua would easily outclass Baroni on the ground and would have little problems getting it there when he wanted to. I like Joey, but he's a step down in competition level. Rua would have been a decent favorite over NYBA, whereas the line will likely be a Pick'em.

It will be interesting to find out why Ninja was removed. Was it an injury, or was it that Gary Shaw was worried that Ninja might take this fight to the ground, something he clearly abhors. This wouldn't be the first time Shaw has pulled the rug out from under the legs of a fighter who agreed to a bout. Ask Gary Turner how he feels about Shaw.

I have seen Joey fight about 5 times and he always takes his opponents to the ground and GnPs the hell out of them. I actually think this is a tougher opponent for Baroni even though he always has a punchers chance; I am startin to think that is all he has anymore.....

GeorgeXVX · 04-22-2008, 02:43 PM

i was so bummed by this.. war ninja