Jason MacDonald: I was Kind of Intimidated by Rich Franklin

Noob · #1 (**permalink**) 03-13-2007, 09:29 PM

Jason MacDonald: I was “Kind of Intimidated” by Rich Franklin

Posted by UFC Junkie on March 13, 2007 at 6:59 pm ET
Jason MacDonald (18-8 MMA, 2-1 UFC), who scored two big wins over Ed Herman and Chris Leben before earning a shot at Rich Franklin at UFC 68, felt that his loss to the former middleweight champ was due in part to feelings of intimidation, according to his most recent MySpace blog.
MacDonald’s fight with Franklin, which took place on the main card of the March 3 event, was stopped after two rounds. MacDonald’s corner threw in the towel, but MacDonald wanted to make it perfectly clear that he didn’t give up.

Let me be clear to all the haters out there, I did not quit! The fight was stopped because I could not see out of my right eye and my left was swelling closed. You try fighting Rich with half an eye! My corner stopped the fight for my own saftey! I’m not saying I wasn’t rocked at the end of the round but I did not even know the fight was stopped!

MacDonald also said that Franklin’s conservative game plan — one that forced MacDonald to be the aggressor — ultimately spelled disaster.
Additionally, MacDonald couldn’t help comparing himself to a fellow Canadian.

This fight was just a small step backwards after two big ones forward. Just like when [Georges St. Pierre] lost to [Matt Hughes] the first time and than got a few more fights under his belt and came back to win the belt. I will do the same! Like [St. Pierre] said, he was a bit intimadated because it was Matt accross the ring. For the first time ever I kind of felt that way looking accross at Rich but after being in there I should not have felt like that.

Prior to the fight, MacDonald had emerged as a top five UFC middleweight contender in many people’s eyes. It’s hard to tell where he may now rank, though he’s surely proven he belongs in the organization.
Frankly, it was nice not to hear MacDonald make any excuses for the loss. In fact, his assessment of the fight seems fairly objective and spot-on.
To read the full post, and to find MacDonald on MySpace, go to www.myspace.com/jasontheathletemacdonald.

smoogy · #2 (**permalink**) 03-13-2007, 09:33 PM

Interesting stuff. If he admits he was a little intimidated then he was probably a LOT intimidated. I still see him in the mix at MW if he can improve his striking and perhaps more importantly his strength.

Zenshotokai · #3 (**permalink**) 03-13-2007, 09:34 PM

I think he makes a good point. He has seen Rich's power and then when you are looking across the ring, you can have some self-doubt. Fighters can get into another fighter's head. I can't imagine what it is like to look across the ring at Chuck Liddell !

Howie · #4 (**permalink**) 03-13-2007, 09:44 PM

macdonald will be back. he needs to improve a few things but he definately will be back

slonebone · #5 (**permalink**) 03-13-2007, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howie3045

macdonald will be back. he needs to improve a few things but he definately will be back

He'll be back but he will never be Champion and no way should he compare himself to GSP but i think we will see some more good fights out of this guy

Rockx · #6 (**permalink**) 03-13-2007, 09:58 PM

He was comparing the situation of intimidation, not comparing himself to GSP. But yeah I don't see him holding a belt, but he is much better than Leben.

da@LARGE · #7 (**permalink**) 03-13-2007, 10:06 PM

Do you guys think that, as MMA fans become more and more knowledgeable, that the popularity of submission fighters like MacDonald may surpass strikers like Liddell and Franklin in the US?

Noob · #8 (**permalink**) 03-13-2007, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by da@LARGE

Do you guys think that, as MMA fans become more and more knowledgeable, that the popularity of submission fighters like MacDonald may surpass strikers like Liddell and Franklin in the US?

That's wishful thinking. No matter the education level mainstream fans ever reach, a methodical ground game is never going to bring in ratings the way a frenzied slug-fest will.

Zenshotokai · #9 (**permalink**) 03-13-2007, 10:30 PM

When you look at who makes up the fans at the fights (drunken idiots- at least most of them), most will never understand the ground game. They have come for the blood and the bombs coming out of left field (of course I like to see those coming from Chuck...love that overhand right!).

The Sundance Kid · #10 (**permalink**) 03-13-2007, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by da@LARGE

Do you guys think that, as MMA fans become more and more knowledgeable, that the popularity of submission fighters like MacDonald may surpass strikers like Liddell and Franklin in the US?

after 50+ years of NASCAR, you still don't see fans screaming, Damn that was very skillful pass on the inside coming off of turn 2, but everyone sure as hell looks up, screams, points, and acts like an ass and say, "that was great" when there is a wreck,