UFC 105/Pacquiao-Cotto Discussion
Tonight is another double header of UFC and boxing, starting with UFC 105 live in Manchester, England. This show will be broadcast for free, at 8pm live on ESPN UK and at 8pm on Spike TV on tape delay. I'm going to this show, it'll be my first live UFC event and I'm expecting big things. I'm also going to Dan Hardy's afterparty after the show and Randy Couture's book signing tomorrow, if I meet either fighter I'll post a report here. The card is:
Randy "The Natural" Couture vs Brandon "The Truth" Vera
Mike "Quick" Swick vs Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy
Michael "The Count" Bisping vs Denis Kang
James Wilks vs Matt Brown
Ross "The Real Deal" Pearson vs Aaron Riley
Also, John Hathaway vs Paul Taylor will be streamed live for UK fans on the UFC website at 7.30pm.
Also tonight is a huge boxing fight for the WBO Welterweight title as Miguel Cotto defends against arguably the pound for pound best boxer in the world anny Pacquiao. Once again Pacman is moving up in weight, looking to become a 6 weight world champion. The winner is set for a blockbuster showdown with the undefeated "Pretty Boy" Floyd "Money" Mayweather Jr. A Pacman-Money fight would smash box office records and is a fight I've wanted to see for years, though Cotto is no slouch either and will be a tough test for Pacman. The card is on PPV in the US at 9pm. It's also available for free in the UK on Sky Sports at 2am. In an ironic twist, Filipino stars Vera and Pacman will go head to head in the US, though Pacquiao is the much more talented and popular fighter so it won't affect the boxing buyrate at all in my opinion.
Discuss either card or any other boxing and MMA news elow.
FIGHT OF THE YEAR!…as far as real fights go…
Vera should’ve won that… dodgey call
Sick show, great fun seeing it live. The prelims had some sick finishes, Andre Winner hit a beautiful overhand right that smashed the beanpole King Leonidas Roli Delgado, Alexander Gustafsson won with a sick straight punch right on the chin that dropped the American Jarred Hamman. KOTN though deservedly went to Dennis Siver for dropping Paul Kelly with a vicious spinning back kick, though the ref took far too long to stop the fight.
I was surprised by the decision in the main event, I had Vera winning because of the knockdown in R2 and the takedown and mount in R3, all Randy did the whole fight was clinch against the cage. It was a close fight but Brandon was very unlucky to lose.
I’m so happy for Hardy, beating Swick is huge and his grappling looked much improved as he kept the fight on the feet throughout and looked good in the clinch, while rocking Swick with every single punch he landed. Great performance and I can’t wait to see him fight (and lose) to GSP in England (it’s rumoured to be happening in March in Nottingham, Dan’s hometown).
Pacman-Cotto was a superb fight, easily the best boxing fight of the year. Cotto was game throughout but outclasses by the p4p best in the sport, Manny stood and took his shots in each round before unloading with quick and vicious flurries that overwhelmed his bigger opponent. Pacman-Money Mayweather has to happen next, that fight and PPV would be huge and would smash all box office records.