 |
RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
1.)� Edgar:��http://youtu.be/EEedFHxSVSI
There's not much to say.� He's the second toughest man on the planet, behind only Jay Cutler.� fortunately for Edgar, he only has one guy at a time trying to take his head off, as opposed to an entire defensive front seven.� Edgar has moved into the category of guys you never pick against.
Aldo: A-�
It was a solid, workmanlike performance from one of the most intelligent fighters in the world.� Because he knocked out Cub Swanson in 8 seconds, there are always going to be people who use that as the measuring stick for his most recent performance.� But that's unfair, as Aldo is rapidly maturing into a complete fighter.� Despite Joe Rogan's verbal fellating of Kenny Florian on Saturday night, Aldo was never in trouble for a moment, and did exactly what he wanted to do.� He's as effective on his feet as Georges St-Pierre is on the mat.� Whether or not that is a compliment is in the eye of the beholder.
Sonnen: A�
What more could Sonnen possibly have done?� Coming off a (self-inflicted) fourteen month long layoff, Sonnen came out and did what Sonnen always does.� He controlled Brian Stann in the clinch, he took him down the first moment he was able to do so, he did whatever he wanted to on the mat, and he sunk in the first choke he was able to find.� For a fighter like Sonnen, it was the perfect fight.� Now sure, some of that was due to Stann being ever-so-slightly susceptible to wrestlers, but come on.� Sonnen can only beat the man he's told to beat.
FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Edgar: A
I thought Edgar did a great job rallying from behind after Gray Maynard had rocked him. To get the decisive victory like that is a major boost to Edgar and his title reign. Edgar has shown that he's capable of finishing you and that any opponent had better bring everything he's got if he wants to finish Edgar.
Aldo: B-
Aldo got the win, and that's most important, but it wasn't his best showing. It was almost as though he was waiting for Kenny Florian to make that big mistake. Aldo seemed more cautious than usual, which is fine, but there were times he could have kicked it into a higher gear but didn't. It's a good, solid win, but nothing that will go onto his highlight reel.
Sonnen: A
I admit I overestimated Stann's progress as a fighter. I thought he was further along. That's on me and not Stann, who is coming along nicely. However, anytime you fight a really good wrestler there's a chance you look weak. Sonnen made Stann look weak and he put together a dominant performance. Securing the submission win made the victory complete.
ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Edgar: A
Edgar left no doubt who is the best 155 pound fighter on the planet. �His toughness and overall game can not be doubted. �The way he finished Maynard was impressive and he looks like he will be around for a long time as the champ.
Aldo: B
I actually thought Aldo would finish the fight �in the first or second round by submission. �He did an overall good job in the fight. �I think some of us had forgotten how great a fighter Florian was and still is. �He has proven for years to be among the sport's elite fighters. �I was surprised how much respect Aldo showed for Florian. �I think he could have ended the fight earlier if he had been more aggressive. Aldo has the skills to be champ for a long time if he can keep his head in the game. �I do not see a fighter around today who can beat him.
Sonnen: A
Total domination by one of the the best fighters in the middleweight division. �I felt like Stann would be a much harder test for Sonnen. �Let's not forget Stann is a highly rated contender. This sets up one of the best re-matches in history between Sonnen and Anderson Silva. �Is it possible that the best fighter in the world may not be the best fighter in his division? �Sonnen won four and a half rounds in his fight with Silva. �I cannot wait for the re-match.
SHAWN ENNIS, MMATORCH SENIOR COLUMNIST
Edgar: A
You can't get much better than what Edgar did on Saturday.� After another first round in which he was beaten up by Gray Maynard, Edgar ran roughshod over his larger opponent.� This time he left no doubt.� Frankie Edgar may or may not end up defending his title a handful of times, but he's already cemented his place historically in the lightweight division.� Even if he loses the title in his next fight, Edgar will be remembered for how he has faced and overcome adversity during his reign, from his disputed title win and emphatic rematch to the last two fights of his trilogy with Maynard.��
Aldo: A
Aldo didn't finish Kenny Florian, but outside of B.J. Penn and a much bigger Diego Sanchez, neither has anyone else.� What Aldo did do is meet the biggest challenge of his career head on and stifle the three-time challenger over five rounds.� Aldo completely nullified any offensive attempts by Florian, out-landing him in significant strikes 16-3 in the third round alone.� Some will discount this victory based on the lack of anticipated fireworks, but there's no reason for that.� Aldo is still quite young - at just 25 years old, he's got a lot more time to get even better than he is right now.� As the featherweight division continues to develop, Aldo's challenges will continue to become more and more stiff, and although we may not be completely sure what he's capable of yet, it's hard to keep him out of the pound for pound conversation at this point.
Sonnen: A+
Call me an easy grader, I guess, but you can't tell me that Sonnen deserves anything less.� After a long layoff, Sonnen showed absolutely no signs of cage rust against surging contender Brian Stann, crushing him in two rounds and picking up his first stoppage victory in four years.� That by itself would earn high marks.� But what he did afterwards was arguably even better.� In calling out Anderson Silva the way he did, he not only set himself up for a big payday, he set the UFC up to make big money on a rematch between the two.� People who don't follow MMA incessantly may have forgotten about Chael Sonnen after he was gone for so long.� They remember him now.
JAMIE PENICK, MMATORCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Edgar: A
The UFC Lightweight Champion showed once again an amazing ability to adapt and improve from fight to fight. Though he suffered a similar first round beating as he did in the UFC 125 draw with Maynard, he again managed to survive, and then adjusted himself even better than he did in January. To then cap things off with a fourth round TKO - especially when he had only finished two fights prior to that with strikes - was absolutely fantastic, and put a great close to their saga. For now.
Aldo: A-
Aldo's performance was more impressive upon second viewing. After Florian started off with a decent first round, Aldo closed off any lanes for offensive output from the challenger. He stifled Florian's takedowns, landing strikes in the clinch. He set up opening for his striking game with a more patient and methodical approach down the stretch, and stuck to a smart gameplan against a fighter that could have given him some troubles had he been undisciplined. As it stands, Aldo continues to become a smarter fighter, and this was a very good performance.
Sonnen: A
That was a career defining performance for Sonnen. After 14 months out of the cage, he demolished a legitimate fighter in Brian Stann, rag-dolling him with his wrestling game, passing at will and locking on his first submission win in over four and a half years. Add to the in-cage performance his post-fight comments aimed at Anderson Silva and this was Sonnen in perhaps his finest hour as a professional fighter.
Don Barr Pat Barry Vitor Belfort Robert Berry David Bielkheden
No comments:
Post a Comment