Randy Couture vs Brock Lesnar - UFC91

[JP]

Poll time - and just about preference, "who will win" questions are rarely anything more than that

Personally i am rooting for Couture, for both positive and negative reasons.

Positive in a sense that I like his style and history, his skill and attitude.

Negative, because I just cant stand Lesnar

[hoffmeister]

I hope for Couture also. Though I like "the freakshow" Lessnar for the entertainment.

[Marty]

I voted Lesnar, Randy has been overpowered in the past and a year away from the cage is gonna hurt him. I actually think Lesnar is just gonna brutalize him tho I dont think hes earned his title shot.

Im supporting Big nog for the "tornament" anway :p

edit: oops im a noob thought poll was for who will win D: Im kind of ambivalent towards the two of them I just want the best fighter on the night to win

[puppydog]

i like lesnar more than most 'hardcore' mma fans seem to, just because he's got absolute sheer athleticism that's rare to find unless your name is spug. I like that, and i like that he basically turned his back on lots of cash to actually compete in a real sport.

That said, I voted for Randy. How can you not cheer for him? He's older, smaller, nicer, has done lots for MMA, and he's CAPTAIN AMERICA. Ok the last part who cares, but the rest of it....

The wily veteran versus the outrageously talented newbie.

[SpugFab]

I like "the freakshow" Lessnar for the entertainment.

I don't think he's an exciting fighter.

After a bit more training I think he'll be one of the dullest heavyweights to watch. Assuming you can see past the WWE hype.

Agreed with Omar though, he does deserve some respect for ditching the WWE in favour of competition.

[RxQueen]

I'm soooo excited for UFC 91, I'm throwing a party :0)

[hoffmeister]

I don't really think it has a lot to do with the way he fights. More the show around it. I for example like to see Bob Zapp in K1. Not because his really that good, but because he is a show.

[Marty]

I'm soooo excited for UFC 91, I'm throwing a party :0)

I would <3 to throw a UFC party, but all my rl friends think its vicious and not fun, theyd all rather watch 22 men running round pointlessly trying to put a ball in an onion bag, I just dont get it! D:

So once again its beer and mexican food for me alone on fight night >.>

[puppydog]

So once again its beer and mexican food for me alone on fight night >.>

beer and mexican food sounds good to me, dude!

[Crash]

So once again its beer and mexican food for me alone on fight night >.>

beer and mexican food sounds good to me, dude!

Sounds good to me too - what time should I come over?

[RxQueen]

I'm soooo excited for UFC 91, I'm throwing a party :0)

I would <3 to throw a UFC party, but all my rl friends think its vicious and not fun, theyd all rather watch 22 men running round pointlessly trying to put a ball in an onion bag, I just dont get it! D:

So once again its beer and mexican food for me alone on fight night >.>

LOL. if you can make to the states in time, you're totally invited

[Marty]

Can I wear my Rich Franklin tshirt? :3

[RxQueen]

sure

[KC Masterpiece]

Even though Lesnar is favored in some online books, I think Randy will take it, easily. Although Lesnar essentially takes Randy's main strength away, Heath Herring's main strength was also wrestling, and although Lesnar out did him, he wasn't really that dominating. So on paper, and using a bit of common sense, Lesnar is the better (and by better I mean bigger and stronger) wrestler, but if his performance against Herring is any indication of how he fares against other wrestlers, don't be surprised is Randy can pull something out of thin air.

Randy has the clear advantage striking, both offensively and defensively. Remember Tim Sylvia? The poor bastard who shouldn't have had the belt in the first place and is the reason Randy's in this crap situation at all? Yeah, Randy easily out struck him and effectively evaded him when necessary (i.e. head movement) in their fight (not to mention a first PUNCH knockdown). As much as I despise him, you've got to give Sylvia the striking advantage over Lesnar whose only real strike was telegraphed into next county and was against the supremely washed up Heath Herring.

So theoretically this should be a breeze for Randy. But I see two x factors. First, Lesnar's youth and general unpredictability. We really don't know if he'll be the same fighter we saw against Herring or worse or a thousand times better. He's new enough to the sport where he could be malleable enough to soak up his trainers' advice, but then again maybe not--see bronco riding and compare trying to teach Lesnar striking to trying to teach Kimbo Slice ground skills.

Second is Randy's ring rust. I wouldn't see this as a problem except for two things: Randy's age and what he was doing during his 14 months off. Although it is phenomenal how he won the belt at his age, his opponents weren't really that good: Sylvia-perhaps the most overrated heavyweight in the history of the sport and Gonzaga-a one hit wonder if there ever was one (though I wish the latter weren't the case...). Brock is younger, stronger, and quite frankly has more to lose in the eyes of the UFC management than either Sylvia or Gonzaga. I know Randy's a phenom, but by my calculations he's now 45, a elderstatesman in MMA if there ever was one.
And during his time off he was entangled in the legal disputes that unfortunately was the subject of much discussion during many of those 14 months. I would think that this would be so emotionally draining, but then again Randy was shooting movies during this time, so maybe not.

Anyway, to finally wrap this up, I think that although there are many conditions outlined above where Randy could falter, given his fight history and his reputation as supreme competitor, I doubt all of these contingencies will all end up being held against him. Brock on the other hand is just a giant (quite literally) question mark. A giant question mark (who is also a giant marketing pawn) versus an established Champion with merely some "but, if's".

To answer the original post's question: I prefer Randy (by strikes early RD 2).

Kevin (aka longwinded noob)

[puppydog]

As much as I despise him, you've got to give Sylvia the striking advantage over Lesnar whose only real strike was telegraphed into next county and was against the supremely washed up Heath Herring.

He kind of knocked Farnk Mir to the canvass with one punch also.... Frank Mir is supposedly not washed up, I haven't seen enough to prove that yet but....

Interesting take on it all.

I think Randy's ring rust will be a non-issue, that guy trains way too hard and has a lot of experience obviously. As I said earlier, I will be cheering for Randy but my gut tells me Lesnar is just bigger, faster, stronger, and that goes a long way in a fight!