boot2thehead - I hate to be a pussy about fighting but last night made me think a little deeper about what these guys are doing. The blunt trauma JDS and Diego took in particular, was an amazing show of mental toughness, heart, determination.... but at what cost?
MMA is a sport that becomes close to gladiatorial when we praise these kinds of displays and call for more of them. Yes, last night we were entertained by the performance of men that may have taken years off their life at worst and diminished the quality of their life if they live to later years.
They did it for themselves and for us. Do we say great job and I can't wait to see it again? or do we say thank you, pay these guys appropriately for their self destruction and ask them to not destroy themselves beyond repair?
Dana White did a disservice to the sport when he ranted about how great Deigo was last night. Diego didn't shut up anyone. He did what he always does - he took a beating and kept coming forward with reckless abandon. Entertaining all of us but destroying himself.
If the UFC is going to praise that kind of battle, they need to pay enough so these guys can retire busted up before they turn 40.
Great night of fights but kind of disturbing at the same time.
WizeKraker - Diego is the most game fighter in the UFC since they cut Garcia. he will get wins. he damn near had this one vs a top contender. he will be around as long as he wishes with performances like tonight.
I'm a Garcia fan, but Diego is light years better than him, and much more exciting at this point in there respective careers.
Although I appreciate his heart, he is damaging his brain. I don't want to see anyone go out like that. In order to compete, he takes way too much damage.
Rahjai - Aside from that uppercut, he was getting picked apart at will and beat to literally every punch he threw with a counter which was pin point accurate my Melendez. Dunno how anyone could call that a close fight, it was an ass kicking
This. I was at the fight(9 rows away ;) and it was a great fight, but not really "close" IMO.
boot2thehead - I hate to be a pussy about fighting but last night made me think a little deeper about what these guys are doing. The blunt trauma JDS and Diego took in particular, was an amazing show of mental toughness, heart, determination.... but at what cost?
MMA is a sport that becomes close to gladiatorial when we praise these kinds of displays and call for more of them. Yes, last night we were entertained by the performance of men that may have taken years off their life at worst and diminished the quality of their life if they live to later years.
They did it for themselves and for us. Do we say great job and I can't wait to see it again? or do we say thank you, pay these guys appropriately for their self destruction and ask them to not destroy themselves beyond repair?
Dana White did a disservice to the sport when he ranted about how great Deigo was last night. Diego didn't shut up anyone. He did what he always does - he took a beating and kept coming forward with reckless abandon. Entertaining all of us but destroying himself.
If the UFC is going to praise that kind of battle, they need to pay enough so these guys can retire busted up before they turn 40.
Great night of fights but kind of disturbing at the same time.
How can you mention the damage taken last night and not mention Big Country. I know he makes those shots look line less than they are, but he got hit with quite a few shots last night that would have KO'd anyone else. That guy could seriously leave the octagon one night, take a nap, and not wake up. Has to have one of the top 3 chins in MMA history. I worry more about him than Diego and JDS. But grown men make their own decisions not gonna call for any retirements. Just hope he stops he stops defending punches with his face.
I wish more guys fought like Diego as far as grit and going at it. You don't need to be a pure brawler in order to fight with that grit. Sadly for him he doesn't have the skill so his face and brain have suffered immensely
Kingkoopa - I agree 100%. If guys with more skill fought with Diego's grit and heart, it would elevate the sport
Tough is part of the sport, it shouldn't be your main weapon.
Guy gave me shit for posting Diego can't win anymore. Yes, he has 13 wins. I highly doubt he will come close to winning that many more. Every fight he will decline due to the accumulation of damage. The scar tissue alone is going to cost him fights going forward.
I am not hating on Diego either. He is a unique guy doing pretty amazing things. Just looking at the potential cost and our encouragement for him to pay it. He will live with it, we get to move on to the next guy to follow.
We all watch Ali docs about his prime. I don't see any of us spending time with Ali and his Parkinson's. Nobody is paying to watch him fight this fight.
This is a business with the highest of highs and lowest of lows.
Kingkoopa - I agree 100%. If guys with more skill fought with Diego's grit and heart, it would elevate the sport
Tough is part of the sport, it shouldn't be your main weapon.
Guy gave me shit for posting Diego can't win anymore. Yes, he has 13 wins. I highly doubt he will come close to winning that many more. Every fight he will decline due to the accumulation of damage. The scar tissue alone is going to cost him fights going forward.
I am not hating on Diego either. He is a unique guy doing pretty amazing things. Just looking at the potential cost and our encouragement for him to pay it. He will live with it, we get to move on to the next guy to follow.
We all watch Ali docs about his prime. I don't see any of us spending time with Ali and his Parkinson's. Nobody is paying to watch him fight this fight.
This is a business with the highest of highs and lowest of lows.
THE CACTUS KID - Diego had had a very successful career and has proven that he can fight with the best of them. I think last night we got to see his heart at its fullest. I agree that Gil had the better of the exchanges,but at no point was Diego in danger other than than when he got knocked down to a knee. The cut made things look worse than they were,and IMO opinion Gilbert was in more danger in this fight. It wasn't a one sided beating at all. Cain vs JDS was a one sided beating. JDS had moments where he was just helpless and just took the beating. Diego never once looked helpless in the fight. I had Gil winning,but it wasn't as one sided as many here claim
You're forgetting the multiple times he got dropped in the Penn fight as well as the shots to the dome he got in the Kampman and Elenberger fights. The clock is ticking on his brain cells IMO....
sssfRyan - Unfortunately he's I think he's too tough for his own good. I love watching his fights and he couldn't be more exciting, but he's not a gifted athlete and is just a workman whose intensity got him where he was. Penn pegged it perfectly when he said he is the world's biggest over-achiever
Just imagine if Penn had Diego's intensity and work ethic. Penn would probably still be LW champ.
