Issue 068
October 2010
Experience creates an informed view. We spoke to three top MMA fighters to find out how they expect this month’s bouts to go down...
Q1. Is Jake Shields a future champion or a lay-and-pray bore?
A: Nelson
“Lay-and-pray boring fighter? Isn’t that GSP?”
A: Torres
“Shields’ style is very dangerous. But coming into the UFC, it’s going to be a huge difference in atmosphere and competition. This is a big step up for Shields. I’m glad he decided to go to the UFC and test himself. Kampmann is no joke. Shields can be a champ, but his mettle is going to be tested.”
A: Trigg
“He is a lay-and-pray bore, but he is also a future champion. Lay-and-pray bores can win championships.”
Q2. Should Shields also have been punished for his role in the Strikeforce brawl?
A: Nelson
“Not really. I think if anything it was maybe the organization’s fault for allowing Miller to even go in there. But, for the most part, it looked like he was defending himself to me, which is OK in any state.”
A: Torres
“I don’t think he made the best decision, but I don’t think he should have been punished more.”
A: Trigg
“It’s not for me to judge. Do I think he was an idiot for being a part of it? Yeah. Do I think he should have walked away and left alone? Yeah, but he was protecting his friends, in his mind. I would have jumped in. I’ve got to be honest – my boys are fighting, I’m fighting.”
Q3. Which will prevail in the clinch? Bisping’s Muay Thai or Akiyama’s judo?
A: Nelson
“Who’s watching that fight? I’d rather see Leben vs Bisping.”
A: Torres
“I’ve only got one thing to say about that: in the clinch, standing up or on the ground, you’ve got to be sexy, and I’m going to go with Akiyama all the way on that. I’m going to pick sexiness over power any day.”
A: Trigg
“Akiyama’s judo. Bisping’s a banger, and guys like that aren’t going to control you, they’re going to capitalize on punching space. Akiyama, when he’s in trouble, the first thing he always goes back to is, ‘I’m gonna throw you on your head.’”
Q4. Does Michael Bisping deserve the hassle he gets from US fans?
A: Nelson
“I think he likes to play the English heel. I think sometimes people don’t get his humor, but for the most part he’s pretty coarse to the US fans. I think they have every right to dislike him, and there’s a lot of people that do like him.”
A: Torres
“It’s not even the US fans. The UK fans hate him, too. They’re tired of that dude. I don’t know what it is. Some guys just have that attitude. They have swagger, but it comes out in the wrong way. He just rubs guys the wrong way. Fans get rubbed the wrong way by him.”
A: Trigg
“Bisping is a good guy. We don’t hang out and drink all the time, but I have had the opportunity to train with him a couple of times. He does a good job of selling stuff. He does become a heel sometimes, but I think that he’s definitely worthy of having some fans.”
Q5. Matt Hamill and Tito Ortiz have trained together. What kind of effect does fighting a former teammate have on your performance?
A: Nelson
“Those are two different fighters from back when they were on The Ultimate Fighter. Ortiz was a world-beater and Hamill was just a wrestler. It’s definitely a different fight.”
A: Torres
“It can affect you positively or negatively. I’ve trained with guys that I beat up in the gym and smashed them all day. If I were ever to fight somebody like that, mentally I’d know I have an edge. In the same respect, it could make me over confident.”
A: Trigg
“Most wrestlers do what we have to do because we’ve always had to fight a guy that is part of our camp, part of our team, because that’s just how wresting is. I think Hamill and Ortiz are going to put on the best possible show because they have no choice.”
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