Team Rampage on Liddell vs. Silva

[sodium_nitrate]

from ufc.com

Team Rampage on Liddell vs Silva
By Thomas Gerbasi

As December 29th’s long-awaited showdown between Chuck Liddell and Wanderlei Silva, fans and pundits alike are looking at the matchup
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and breaking it down in every way possible, trying to find the single nugget of information that will illuminate everything and produce a clear favorite.

Well, it’s not there, and that’s what makes this not only a meeting between perhaps the two best 205-pound fighters in mixed martial arts history, but an intriguing bout between two fighters whose current standing in the game may not be the same as it was a few years back, but who still have the power and mystique to provoke heated debates.

Even a man who has been in the Octagon or ring with Liddell and Silva a combined four times – UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson – is stumped when it comes to picking a winner.

“I just see it being an exciting fight,” said a non-committal Jackson at the ‘Ultimate Fighter’ finale in Las Vegas on December 8th. “Its two good warriors coming off two losses, and their careers could depend on this fight. I’ll be watching and I’m anxious to see who’s gonna win.”

Liddell, the former UFC Light Heavyweight boss, reigned for two years before Jackson removed his belt via a first round TKO at UFC 71 in May. It was Jackson’s second win over ‘The Iceman’, with the first one coming in Japan in 2003 when ‘Rampage’ spoiled a hoped for bout against Silva by halting Liddell in the second round of their PRIDE Grand Prix tournament match.

Jackson went on to fight Silva later that November night, getting stopped in the first round by ‘The Axe Murderer.’ Silva, the former PRIDE 205-pound Champion went on to repeat that victory over ‘Rampage’ almost a year later in October of 2004, this time ending the bout by emphatic knockout with a knee to the head. Jackson says that it wasn’t the knee that did all the damage though.

“He dazed me with a punch and then he kneed me,” he recalled. “The punch was what started it. I took it, I know.”

Even know, the losses to Silva don’t sit well with ‘Rampage’, and you can see a serious look creep over his usually smiling face. So don’t ask him if he’s kept up on the exploits of his former rival since their time together in the PRIDE ring.

“I haven’t paid any attention to Silva,” he deadpans. “I’m too busy playing video games.”

And winning the UFC 205-pound title, unifying both belts by beating PRIDE champ Dan Henderson, and now preparing for a stint as a coach on the seventh season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter’, where he will compete against Forrest Griffin, the man he will next defend his crown against. But back to Liddell-Silva. Does the fact that Jackson beat Liddell twice and Silva beat Jackson twice mean that Silva beats Liddell on December 29th?

“That’s not the way it goes,” said Jackson. “I guarantee you that if I would have fought Silva both times in the UFC, I would have won.”

Because of the Octagon as opposed to the PRIDE ring?

“Not the cage, the referees,” he said. “I guarantee I would have beaten him.”

Plus, in this game, as in any combat sport, styles make fights. Liddell supporters could say that their man decisively beat Tito Ortiz twice, while Silva lost to him, or that Liddell owns a victory over a man who stopped Silva in under a minute, Vitor Belfort. As for the fourth common foe, Guy Mezger, both Liddell and Silva own KO victories over the Texan.

With that bit of combat calculus out of the way, the fight may come back to what both fighters have in the tank after each suffering two losses in a row each (Liddell to Jackson and Keith Jardine and Silva to Mirko Cro Cop and Henderson). Some say both have seen better days, but Jackson doesn’t agree, believing that the thought of getting a third loss in a row will be a huge motivating factor.

“I don’t see them on the tail end, but two losses in a row is bad, so three in a row is even worse,” he said.

Juanito

Ibarra, Jackson’s trainer and manager, thinks that Silva’s 10 month break from the Henderson fight in February, along with his relocation to the United States, may be a deciding factor on fight night.

“Wanderlei is an intelligent man,” said Ibarra. “When I had Vitor Belfort back in the day, we fought Wanderlei and beat him (in 1998), and I’ve seen Wanderlei’s growth since then. He’s more spiritually connected now. It looks like he has a place in life for himself and his family, and he’s focused.”

Ibarra also thinks that Silva is more comfortable wherever the fight goes, while Liddell – who does everything in his power to keep the fight standing – may be putting himself at a disadvantage with such tactics.

“I just think mentally, he (Silva) is more elusive because he shows his whole game, where Chuck really depends on just one part of his game,” said Ibarra. “Even though he’s a roundabout fighter, he doesn’t show it a lot. I think Wanderlei has more confidence as a MMA fighter, if you will. I like both guys, but I’m pulling for Wanderlei because I want Wanderlei.”

Ah, the revenge factor…

“As we keep winning, we want to keep avenging our losses,” admits Ibarra. “To me it’s not as important – victories and our growth are – but to him, it’s really important.”

That’s obvious when talking to Jackson. As for Ibarra, he just wants to make sure his charge keeps focused on the task at hand.

“We can’t look past anyone though because all the kids in this division – every single one of them - I give credit to,” said Ibarra, who does admit that when his fighter’s on, it will be tough for anyone to get him out of there.

“I told this kid (Jackson) he ain’t gonna lose this belt for a while.”

So, how about some predictions on Liddell-Silva?

“I’m gonna take Wanderlei,” said Ibarra.

“I don’t gamble,” quipped Jackson.

it's too bad we're not going to see whoever wins this fight against rampage until well into the new year....

[jcflores]

They sure are pulling for Wand right there. They know that fight has a win/win situation for them. Avenging a loss + good money = profit. Though I'm pulling for Chuck to win this fight I would love to see Silva fighting Rampage in the UFC in the near future.

[b0sH]

Can't say I think this fight is as cut and dry as people think it is.

Personally I see both fighters having the ability to capitalize on the others weaknesses.

Chuck is facing a strong striker and good strikers have given Chuck some issues. Wandy's style is wide and uncontrolled at times and Chuck loves nothing more than people to try and chase him so he can throw KO counter punches.

If wandy's smart he'll make Chuck come after him and catch him during an attack. If he's dumb he'll go all guns blazing after Chuck and get caught himself on the way in. I think both have got to bide their time and wait for the right moment. Who ever gets that moment first and hits the right punch wins it.

[twankydawg]

I don't think Chuck is going to want to sit back and wait on Wandy to come after him, this isn't Tito or Randy he's fighting, if Wandy comes in and starts tagging him it could end quickly. When guys like Tito and Randy rush in, there isn't much threat of getting caught with anything, whereas Wandy will stun you then lock you up in the clinch and feed you knees until you're out cold.

I think Chuck is going to come out a little more aggressive in this fight, I just have a feeling, I could be wrong but it's just what I think.

Wandy is going to come out ready to show people why he's the most dangerous striker at 205lbs. I think alot of people are counting him out before the fight. I think Wandy is going to come out and beat Chuck like we've never seen him beat before. I'm so pumped for this fight, I can't fucking wait! Muthaphukkin War Wanderlei!!!

[Diegonightmare]

Originally Posted by twankydawg

Wandy is going to come out ready to show people why he's the most dangerous striker at 205lbs. I think alot of people are counting him out before the fight.

I for one am not....I like him to win this fight.

Originally Posted by twankydawg

I think Wandy is going to come out and beat Chuck like we've never seen him beat before.

I think so too. Chuck was at one time my favorite LHW, but Wandy has been my favorite for a good 6-8 months now. I still have nothing against Chuck - he is probably my 2nd favorite LHW - but I want to see Wandy with another highlight reel win on a HUGE stage.

[twankydawg]

Originally Posted by Diegonightmare

I for one am not....I like him to win this fight.




I think so too. Chuck was at one time my favorite LHW, but Wandy has been my favorite for a good 6-8 months now. I still have nothing against Chuck - he is probably my 2nd favorite LHW - but I want to see Wandy with another highlight reel win on a HUGE stage.

Wandy has been my favorite 205'er for quite some time. I just want to see him out there, staring holes in people, kneeing everyone into oblivion like we know he can. I want to see him fight Chuck and win, then fight Tito and avenge that loss and put to rest all the haters who think Tito wins that fight again.

[jlruthven84]

Originally Posted by twankydawg

Wandy has been my favorite 205'er for quite some time. I just want to see him out there, staring holes in people, kneeing everyone into oblivion like we know he can. I want to see him fight Chuck and win, then fight Tito and avenge that loss and put to rest all the haters who think Tito wins that fight again.

No way does Tito win that match nowadays, but I think Liddell has a helluva lot better chance in this match than people are giving him. I know Wandy ain't a wrestler trying to play the standup game like Tito, Horn, or Babalu, but he DOES come in swinging wild...and when Chuck sticks to his counter-punching gameplan, it usually serves him well. If he picks his shots, he could counter-KO Wandy's head into the second row. Chuck does poorly when he goes full-steam ahead against any halfway-decent striker; witness the two Page fights, and the Jardine fight. Hell, even Mezger was tagging him pretty well. If he's smart here, he'll mix up those looping counter shots with straightforward jabs, so he can catch Wandy right down the pipe when he's most vulnerable.

[twankydawg]

Originally Posted by jlruthven84

No way does Tito win that match nowadays, but I think Liddell has a helluva lot better chance in this match than people are giving him. I know Wandy ain't a wrestler trying to play the standup game like Tito, Horn, or Babalu, but he DOES come in swinging wild...and when Chuck sticks to his counter-punching gameplan, it usually serves him well. If he picks his shots, he could counter-KO Wandy's head into the second row. Chuck does poorly when he goes full-steam ahead against any halfway-decent striker; witness the two Page fights, and the Jardine fight. Hell, even Mezger was tagging him pretty well. If he's smart here, he'll mix up those looping counter shots with straightforward jabs, so he can catch Wandy right down the pipe when he's most vulnerable.

No one can debate the fact that Chuck has a shot here, he's Chuck.

My opinion is that Chuck is at his best when he's letting guys come in swinging and tags them but most of those guys aren't strikers. Guys like Randy, Tito, and Babalu coming in swinging is way different from Wandy, who has alot more power and accuracy than those guys. If he comes in and tags Chuck before Chuck can tag him on the way in, it's going to get ugly, and that's the way I see it going. However, as I said though, it's Chuck, and at any moment he can end the fight with or rock Wandy with 1 punch.

[DonFrye]

“That’s not the way it goes,” said Jackson. “I guarantee you that if I would have fought Silva both times in the UFC, I would have won.”

I love Rampage, but those are VERY strong statements for a guy who was absolutely dismantled in those fights. I hope he doesn't feel the same way about the Shogun fight.

[Severn]

I think the biggest thing about Wandy at this point is that he took a good amount of time off, he moved to America and has trained with Randy Couture. His head is in the right place and I think that's the most important aspect of this whole fight. Nothing seems rushed or odd. I think Wandy will be do fine in the UFC and a win over Chuck is a great place to start.