Sylvia/Vera Winner Will Face Nogueira For Title + More On Couture - Fight Forum - MMA - UFC - Boxing - K1

Dr.Chicago · 10-17-2007, 07:42 PM

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Sylvia/Vera Winner Will Face Nogueira For Title

By Eric Shapiro | Oct 17, 2007

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Another twist now added to UFC 77. According to Kevin Iole’s Yahoo! Sports article, the winner of the bout taking place in Cincinatti between Tim Sylvia and Brandon Vera will go on to face Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira for the now vacant UFC heavyweight title. Toward the bottom of the article Iole states “The winner of the Brandon Vera-Tim Sylvia fight on Saturday at UFC 77 in Cincinnati will meet Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira for the vacant heavyweight title sometime early next year.”

This comes as a bit of a surprise to me since Nogueira has only had one fight in the UFC so far and that was against Heath Herring, someone he had beaten twice in previous encounters while in PRIDE. Then again the UFC has done this before, giving fellow PRIDE fighter Quinton Jackson only one debatably “easy” fight with Marvin Eastman before offering him a title shot/rematch with Liddell. While some feel that Nogueira is being offered a title shot prematurely, I’m definitely excited to see the match between Minotauro and Brandon Vera in the future (Yes, I’m assuming Vera will win on Saturday.)

Back to Randy Couture news. The article goes on to say that fans should expect Couture to attempt to fight after nine months, when he should be a free agent. Though legal battles are likely to follow:

“Couture believes he can be a free agent after sitting out nine months, which would mean he figures he can fight Emelianenko sometime in late spring or early summer of 2008. UFC president Dana White insists Couture must fight twice for the UFC to fulfill his contract and become a free agent. Those differences of opinion are going to land the parties in court. After nine months, expect Couture to try to fight and the UFC to go to court to stop him. Couture will argue that time is of the essence, because he’ll be nearly 45, and that if he isn’t granted a court order and allowed to fight, he’ll be irreparably harmed. The UFC will argue that its entire business will be undermined if Couture is allowed to break his contract.”

So what do we think? Will Couture be able to fight again with or without Dana Whites blessing? Only time will tell.

Damn it!

I wanted to see Nogueira-Kongo first! Then the winner can fight the winner of Sylvia-Vera! A mini-tournament!

Anyways..

About Randy, I hope he wins the legal battle.. At the end, it'll be ridiculous if UFC wins then forces him to fight twice more when he doesn't wanna do it!

Moonpie · 10-18-2007, 05:31 AM

Kongo should definitely be a contender for the title. I'm a little bit disappointed. Randy is leaving so i guess the UFC is in a hurry to fulfill the vacant HW title. Hopefully Kongo gets his change at some point because he deserves it.

Gooner · 10-18-2007, 06:08 AM

I'm happy with this decision.
If Nog had fought Kongo, it would have taken too long.

I hope and believe that Vera will get the title.
Wouldn't really mind Nog winning it, but the third option... argh.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Chicago

Anyways..

About Randy, I hope he wins the legal battle.. At the end, it'll be ridiculous if UFC wins then forces him to fight twice more when he doesn't wanna do it!

UFC can't force him to fight. But they might be able to stop him from fighting - elsewhere, that is.

I'm starting to think Randy really screwed up with this move.

Crazy · 10-18-2007, 06:10 AM

Well, it is the best UFC could do now. They proberly hope for Cro Cop to make a few win at the same time to make a strong contender.

Why should Kongo get a chanse? Because he put 10 knees in Cro Cop`s nuts?

Cuts O Meat · 10-18-2007, 07:57 AM

I really hope Randy gets to fight Fedor. It will be an historic event for the MMA world. But unfortunately I see Dana being able to stop this. You can't walk away from contracts unless the other party has given grounds for the contract to be nullified. If Dana was to let Randy walk, then he opens the door for other disgruntled fighters signed to the UFC to do the same.

I also don't see Dana letting Randy fight again to finish those two fights left on his contract. So unless by chance a court sides with Randy, I don't see Randy fighting ever again.

mxfuel · 10-18-2007, 07:58 AM

I hope the UFC doesn't screw us by not letting Randy fight in our and his dream fight.

Kongo has no business fighting for the title already. Give him a few more guys to prove himself. I think AA should be in the HW title mix also.

theEmpiric · 10-18-2007, 08:27 AM

Maybe we ill see AA vs Kongo?

Hopefully Randy is able to fight, I wonder what the fine print of the contract says.

Also....What if M1 wouldn't let Fedor fight Randy?

I8URV8 · 10-18-2007, 09:12 AM

This seems like a better idea that just making Sylvia/Vera or Nog/Kongo a title fight and if they had the winners fight each other it would take a long time.
I just wonder how they plan on fitting Kongo, Arlovski, Gonzaga, Wedum and Mir into the mix for the first crack at the new champion.

Thrash13 · 10-18-2007, 10:48 AM

If Randy is under contract to fight two more times for the UFC, then that's how it should go. Like it or not, a contract is a contract for a reason. I have no idea what the contract entails, however, so I won't say anything until we find out.

StratTone · 10-18-2007, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Chicago

Damn it!

I wanted to see Nogueira-Kongo first! Then the winner can fight the winner of Sylvia-Vera! A mini-tournament!

Anyways..

About Randy, I hope he wins the legal battle.. At the end, it'll be ridiculous if UFC wins then forces him to fight twice more when he doesn't wanna do it!

I see Couture and Dana sitting down with the Fertetties and working this out. I don't see him really leaving.

subgenius · 10-18-2007, 12:42 PM

I like the situation. I want to see Vera beat Sylvia and then beat Big Nog for the UFC world HW title. As for Couture, I am really getting more and more upset with his situation (which I think Couture caused). He has shown great disrespect for the UFC, the world HW title, and the fans. He is sliding downhill fast. I hope that he retires and stays retired and fades off in the distance.

MTKrav911 · 10-18-2007, 12:47 PM

I agree on Couture. I just get the feeling that he's got some less than reputable people influencing him right now to creat this un-necssary disturbance in the force.

On Vera/Sylvia facing Nog? I mean I dunno. I guess it makes sense, but it sorta screws Kongo I agree. Then again, I think The UFC also knows that Kongo has had some boring fights and that they know they don't want another boring HW champion (like Sylvia).

Vera/Nogueira would be a good fight. Brandon is young, extremely talented with a ton of skill in all aspects of MMA.

I'm excited to see how The Truth will play out.

Cuts O Meat · 10-18-2007, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subgenius

I like the situation. I want to see Vera beat Sylvia and then beat Big Nog for the UFC world HW title. As for Couture, I am really getting more and more upset with his situation (which I think Couture caused). He has shown great disrespect for the UFC, the world HW title, and the fans. He is sliding downhill fast. I hope that he retires and stays retired and fades off in the distance.

I can understand your frustration with the man. However, we just don't know what really made him choose to leave. So hate too much on the man just yet.

FLYINGGOGOPLATA! · 10-18-2007, 01:04 PM

Some people are very quick to diss Randy as mercenary considering how much he has done for the ufc over the years

subgenius · 10-18-2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cuts O Meat

I can understand your frustration with the man. However, we just don't know what really made him choose to leave. So hate too much on the man just yet.

We have both seen and heard his reasons from him. How else can we judge? In one of these threads we heard Randy Couture make his reasons known in a phone interview. Those reasons concur with the written data that came out last Thursday. What are you waiting for? We DO KNOW why he quit. THAT is the problem and the reason that many (like me) are upset.

subgenius · 10-18-2007, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FLYINGGOGOPLATA!

Some people are very quick to diss Randy as mercenary considering how much he has done for the ufc over the years

It's not like we have not read Couture's statement and heard his reasons from his own mouth. That is not being quick to judge. He did what he did. He took a huge risk with his fans. It seems like he may be out of touch with his own fans and the ideology that seemed to have been built up around him. He even stated that the announcers had disrespected him, when (in fact, and we all know so damn well) the announcers have done nothing but idolize Randy Couture. Joe Rogan has often said, "That guy [Randy Couture] is my Hero!" So, WTH was Randy talking about?

Flying Triangle Choke · 10-18-2007, 02:27 PM

As far as Randy goes...I think he's earned the right to do what he wants at this point. As far as this idea, I like it. They're not screwing Kongo. I think the UFC has big plans for Kongo, and they want to groom him a bit more before he gets thrown into a title fight. Although, it would be hilarious if Vera/Sylvia ended in a double knockout LOL. What would they do then?

mxfuel · 10-18-2007, 02:29 PM

I don't see how you guys pick Kongo in the title picture. I think we should have Kongo vs GG. I think everyone jumped on board the Kongo bandwagon after they jumped ship from GG. I think I would pick GG in that fight.

Cuts O Meat · 10-18-2007, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flying Triangle Choke

As far as Randy goes...I think he's earned the right to do what he wants at this point. As far as this idea, I like it. They're not screwing Kongo. I think the UFC has big plans for Kongo, and they want to groom him a bit more before he gets thrown into a title fight. Although, it would be hilarious if Vera/Sylvia ended in a double knockout LOL. What would they do then?

How does one earn the right to be above the law?

Cuts O Meat · 10-18-2007, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subgenius

We have both seen and heard his reasons from him. How else can we judge? In one of these threads we heard Randy Couture make his reasons known in a phone interview. Those reasons concur with the written data that came out last Thursday. What are you waiting for? We DO KNOW why he quit. THAT is the problem and the reason that many (like me) are upset.

You heard it from his mouth? Is there a video clip of him talking about this? Or are confusing written articles with the absolutely truth?