***spoilers*** UFC News and Discussion Thread

[Rich]

I just don't think there is loads of interesting fights there.

Jones will beat Texeira

Saffedine and Elelnberger will be interesting.

We have Phil Davis against AJ, and the last time AJ was in the UFC he was an over weight middleweight who got blasted by Vitor

Boetsch vs Rockhold does nothing for me, or Rockhold, a pointless fight where he has nothing to gain.

We will have Benavidez wooping Elliot.

There is nothing making me get out of my chair for this card.

[HC]

Rich is right in saying most of the matches look pretty predictable. There are a lot of names on the card but it's lopsided. I have no idea why Rockhold is against Boestch either.

[EddieG]

We have Phil Davis against AJ, and the last time AJ was in the UFC he was an over weight middleweight who got blasted by Vitor

An AJ who's gone on to win 6 fights, 4 of those at 205, 1 at heavyweight.. don't count him out.

[Rich]

Who of relevance has he beaten?

[EddieG]

Andrei Arlovski.

And who has Phil Davis beaten (convincingly) since his loss to Evans?

[Benjamin]

- The last time Anthony Johnson was in the UFC was 2 years ago. Also I don't see how getting blasted by Vitor is an insult, he's blasted everybody since he came into the UFC, except Bones and Anderson. Since then he's gotten comfortable at 205, and has shown huge amounts of improvements.

- That Rockhold fight is only interesting to me as I find him to be a bigger challenge than Costas, as he has some excellent wrestling. I'm still expecting him to cruise past him, but it'll help pad Rockhold's resume and we'll get to see how much he's progressed.

- The last time everyone thought Jon Jones would blast by someone he almost lost the belt. Teixeira has some serious skills. I'm not saying he'll win, but I have no idea why people are counting him out.

- There's also two really great prospect fights in Medeiros versus Joe Ellenberger and Holloway versus Andre Fili.

I'll give you the Benavidez fight, though, no idea what's with that.

UFC 172 might not have as many sexy fights as 170 or 171, but it's still really good, and it's only growing. The undercard will probably look even better than it does now.

[Rich]

Andrei Arlovski.

And who has Phil Davis beaten (convincingly) since his loss to Evans?

Ignoring the Andrei comment, but he was convincing against Prado and Magalhaes in those fights, while not exciting he dominated, and he actually was comfortable against former 205 champion Machida... So everybody he has faced since Evans, try again, and answer my question do not deflect it.

- The last time Anthony Johnson was in the UFC was 2 years ago. Also I don't see how getting blasted by Vitor is an insult, he's blasted everybody since he came into the UFC, except Bones and Anderson. Since then he's gotten comfortable at 205, and has shown huge amounts of improvements.

- That Rockhold fight is only interesting to me as I find him to be a bigger challenge than Costas, as he has some excellent wrestling. I'm still expecting him to cruise past him, but it'll help pad Rockhold's resume and we'll get to see how much he's progressed.

- The last time everyone thought Jon Jones would blast by someone he almost lost the belt. Teixeira has some serious skills. I'm not saying he'll win, but I have no idea why people are counting him out.

- There's also two really great prospect fights in Medeiros versus Joe Ellenberger and Holloway versus Andre Fili.

I'll give you the Benavidez fight, though, no idea what's with that.

UFC 172 might not have as many sexy fights as 170 or 171, but it's still really good, and it's only growing. The undercard will probably look even better than it does now.

I don't know if AJ has improved, his level of competion outside of the UFC is not the same level, its hard to say but if I am going with the guy who comofrtably beat Lyoto Machida vs the guy who comoftabley beat Mike Kyle, I know who I am picking to win, comfortably.

I thought Gus would be a challenge to JJ, I didn't think it was that close, but I don't think Glover is on that level at all, he has no wins that make me think he is worthwhile in terms of being a challenger, but that could be said about a lot of folks at 205.

The prospect fights are all well and good, but I have learnt to keep my excitement for them down to a minimum until someone actually makes me go "WOW!" We have seen prospects come along before and be horrible as much as we have seen a true elite MMA fighter come along.

Rockhold and the rest you kind of agree with me on.

[Benjamin]

Andrei Arlovski.

And who has Phil Davis beaten (convincingly) since his loss to Evans?

Ignoring the Andrei comment, but he was convincing against Prado and Magalhaes in those fights, while not exciting he dominated, and he actually was comfortable against former 205 champion Machida... So everybody he has faced since Evans, try again, and answer my question do not deflect it.

- The last time Anthony Johnson was in the UFC was 2 years ago. Also I don't see how getting blasted by Vitor is an insult, he's blasted everybody since he came into the UFC, except Bones and Anderson. Since then he's gotten comfortable at 205, and has shown huge amounts of improvements.

- That Rockhold fight is only interesting to me as I find him to be a bigger challenge than Costas, as he has some excellent wrestling. I'm still expecting him to cruise past him, but it'll help pad Rockhold's resume and we'll get to see how much he's progressed.

- The last time everyone thought Jon Jones would blast by someone he almost lost the belt. Teixeira has some serious skills. I'm not saying he'll win, but I have no idea why people are counting him out.

- There's also two really great prospect fights in Medeiros versus Joe Ellenberger and Holloway versus Andre Fili.

I'll give you the Benavidez fight, though, no idea what's with that.

UFC 172 might not have as many sexy fights as 170 or 171, but it's still really good, and it's only growing. The undercard will probably look even better than it does now.

I don't know if AJ has improved, his level of competion outside of the UFC is not the same level, its hard to say but if I am going with the guy who comofrtably beat Lyoto Machida vs the guy who comoftabley beat Mike Kyle, I know who I am picking to win, comfortably.

I thought Gus would be a challenge to JJ, I didn't think it was that close, but I don't think Glover is on that level at all, he has no wins that make me think he is worthwhile in terms of being a challenger, but that could be said about a lot of folks at 205.

The prospect fights are all well and good, but I have learnt to keep my excitement for them down to a minimum until someone actually makes me go "WOW!" We have seen prospects come along before and be horrible as much as we have seen a true elite MMA fighter come along.

Rockhold and the rest you kind of agree with me on.

Davis didn't beat Machida comfortably, he got outstriked and only landed 2 takedowns, at the end of rounds 1 and 2, out of like 7 or 8. I'm not saying Anthony Johnson is going to stop Davis' shots, but he's been tearing through everybody like how Davis was before the Rashad fight.

[Rich]

That is not how I saw the Machida fight, sorry!

Which goes back to my Eddie question. Who has AJ beaten who is relevant and how has he torn through people?

He got a win against Mike Kyle a marginal 205er at best, same with DJ linderman, he got a decision win over Andrei who has not been at his best for almost half a decade, Who is Esteves Jones? Has a decision and KO victory over 2 185ers in Dave Branch and Jake Rosholt who were bounced from the UFC for not being good enough, I am still not htinking AJ has anything that will make him elite in the UFC

[Cymbols]

I don't think that many fights at 172 will be one-sided. Jones vs Teixeira and Benavidez vs Elliot yeah but I don't think Rockhold over Boetsch is a given. Rumble is solid, but a fight with Davis is a good measuring stick, potential contender or gatekeeper, we shall see!

[Rich]

I never out right said they would be one or even lop sided, I just don't have anything on that card that if I was American its not a card like the New Year's card which would make me get excited about paying $50/$60 for it.

[Cymbols]

Oh absolutely, if it's wasn't for the fact that we get them on BT Sports, I wouldn't pay for any of the upcoming cards. Saying that, I didn't like the look of 169's card either. In fact, before 168, the only one that I would've probably bought would be 165 or 166.

[Rich]

Oh absolutely, if it's wasn't for the fact that we get them on BT Sports, I wouldn't pay for any of the upcoming cards. Saying that, I

For fucks sake Candlejack, why do you ke

[EddieG]

I said Andrei as I'll agree, he's had no wins over big names, but our opinions also differ on the Machida fight, and the beating of Vinny and Prado.. well, those are 2 names that the WSOF aren't even signing, so Davis has the Machida fight, that's it.

[Gazz]

Rumble is going to get D'Arce'd and you all know it.

[Benjamin]

I would love to see Rumble get choked out. Davis has a beautiful gator roll.

[EddieG]

For the record, I do predict Davis will win, and I want him to, but I don't think it'll be as a dominant boring one sided performance as Rich seems to suggest.

[Rich]

WHERE DO I SAY ITS ONE SIDED?!

I said I am not hugely in to it, no where do I go "Davis is gonna clean his clock, quickly"

Stop putting words in my mouth you div.

[EddieG]

We have Phil Davis against AJ, and the last time AJ was in the UFC he was an over weight middleweight who got blasted by Vitor

This reads as "AJ is shit and is gonna get beaten, quickly, easily."

Sorry if I misinterpreted it.

[Rich]

We have Phil Davis against AJ, and the last time AJ was in the UFC he was an over weight middleweight who got blasted by Vitor

This reads as "AJ is shit and is gonna get beaten, quickly, easily."

Sorry if I misinterpreted it.

You did, massively.

If I meant AJ is going to get beaten soundly I would have said that. My point was and subsequent question is, why should I be interested in AJ? I am not that interested, now stop being so bloody obtuse all the time, jeez.