I pulled out UFC Knockouts 1 and 2 last night and watched it. Rizzo must have felt invincible during the time he was knocking everyone out. I haven't kept up with the UFCs like I should have, what has Rizzo done after being koed by Gan?
Win Ricco Rodriguez Decision (Unanimous) 11/21/2003
Win Tra Telligman TKO (Cut) 6/6/2003
Loss Vladimir Matyushenko Decision (Unanimous) 2/28/2003
I don't understand why he's not fighting on NYE.
Did he sign with pride?
vs mirko
I don't think he did feel invincible, and that might have been the problem. He never seemed confident enough in there to let his hands fly.
I don't think Pedro got worse. He has always pretty much been the same. He murders anyone who is not a world class wrestler, but world class wrestlers can hold him down and hit him. Gan McGee got in one shot, and Ricco stayed far enough away to avoid getting KOed, but otherwise, that's the story of Rizzo's career.
I actually think the second Telligman fight was his most impressive fight. Telligman had had a short pro boxing career between their two fights, and Rizzo actually took Telligman down and did some GNP.
"I admitt that in his last 2 fights he looked good"
Everyone always says both he & Ricco looked bad in their fight.
Telligman/Rizzo 2 was one of my favorite fights of 2003 though.
TH
Rizzo's loss to Gan McGee seemed like a fluke to me. McGee didn't KO him, he opened up a cut and the fight got stopped.
In my opinion, Pedro Rizzo still has a chance to do well in MMA. He should sign with PRIDE or K-1. He would do better under their rules anyway since he could kick and knee opponents who are on the ground and he wouldn't get pushed into a fence. If he signed with K-1 he could also to kickboxing matches.
I was told he fired Motoku, and has a new agent in Japan. Pedro is coming here in a few weeks.
Gan landed a huge punch that he'd been training for Rizzo and landed on others. It knocked Rizzo on his ass and broke his nose. Nothing too flukish about that.
I'd love to see a rematch though. "loser leaves town" sort of match written all over it.
"rizzo/ricco looked bad because their styles matched up shitty with each other."
I can see that.
I remember Ricco/Goodridge, but just barely... Man that was slow.
TH
holding down a world class wrestler isnt easy
I'm sure Pedro will be back in one of the big promotions soon.
I'm sure this time off has only been beneficial for him.
In the Vladdy/Tito fight, Vladdy took the fight on short notice and had to cut a lot of weight which severely dehydrated him for the fight. With proper preperation Vladdy would handle and beat Tito Ortiz.
Rizzo was sooooo close to the Championship...
I don't care what the judges say, Vladdy didn't beat Pedro. draw at best. didn't do a lick of damage and Rizzo hurt him. took him down only a couple of times for totally ineffective G&P attempt
Pedro bleeds way too easy for UFC, put him in Pride where the fight won't be stopped too fast. Or better yet K1 all stand up and he will do well.