RIZIN OWGP Brackets and Fights

[skylolow]

Now only if they could get this on TV in America.

 

[Stun Gun]

Looking forward for the kron vs kawajiri fight

 

[DrGlaze]

I prefer Baruto vs TK honestly, even though it sucks Jiri is out. We gotta remember he's still only 2-0 currently, and is taking slow step ups in competition. Though I still wouldn't mind seeing a Bob Sapp squash match somewhere down the line just for the lulz.lol

 

[fermaPY]

Damm, my pick to win is injured, the new pick is Moldavsky

 

[JkMMA]

Yeah that's him,

Thanks

 

[Magnum1978]

looking good - love a properly bracketed tournament

 

[Fullmount Triangle]

The best prospect versus the tournament favorite. I'm gutted at that match.

who is the tournament favourite in your eyes? are you suggesting it's Carwin?

 

[ThunderL1ps]

I prefer Baruto vs TK honestly, even though it sucks Jiri is out. We gotta remember he's still only 2-0 currently, and is taking slow step ups in competition. Though I still wouldn't mind seeing a Bob Sapp squash match somewhere down the line just for the lulz.lol

Sooner or later he will have to face someone younger than 42.

 

[Hagelslag2]

I hope for the alternate fight they have some fighters from a lower weight class. Hell, make it the winner of the Bennett/Kimura fight. Bennet vs. Baruto would be a sight to behold.

Who would be on their short list for OWGP alternates?

If you like that idea, here is a little appetizer from this weekend.



Yes, that is 160kg Hong Man Choi, the guy that fought Fedor, fighting 72kg Zhou Zhi Peng in a kickboxing match

 

[null]

Now only if they could get this on TV in America.

That's extraordinarily unlikely, but they did the next best thing last card and had a live HD stream with English commentary that was also available to watch in full the next day. Hope they do so again.

 

[K4BOSH]

Go go Baruto!

 

[DrGlaze]

Sooner or later he will have to face someone younger than 42.

I have no problem with that, just as long as he's at least 3-0. These guys are old, yeah, but they're way more experienced than he is.

 

[KenkaBancho]

Oddly enough, I'm really intrigued by the prospective Wanderlei Silva v Baruto fight

 

[Pyreen]

not surprised they put Carwin on the opposite side of the bracket from CroCop/Silva.

Do you know if JIri withdrew because of a legit reason or because it was secretly agreed that JIri would be replaced by TK in order to boost ratings?

In my view Baruto vs Fujita, Baruto vs TK and Jiri's "strange" injury vs That Can he fought all indicate to me that they are trying to push Baruto through into the final

Moldavsky also gets an easy fight and will be a certain semi final contender

looking good - love a properly bracketed tournament

I think that RIZIN did a good job with how they planned the tournament brackets; they were going to do the showdown of legends in CC vs Wand, and the "young lions" fight between Baruto and Jiri, the two guys who they have been hyping heavily, to determine the number 1 RIZIN rising star.

This booking would also ensure that we get a semifinal between a legend and a prospect, with at least one of them a lock for the final (avoiding a low interest fight like Moldavsky vs Bajor as the New Year show main event).

Sakakibara knows that the (expensive) legends he can get wont be around forever and is trying to get a fighter who is more or less a RIZIN guy to take over the torch and be legitimized by beating a big name of the past. Basically the same thing JMMA has (unsuccessfully) tried to do since Sakuraba lost his shine.

They're banking on Jiri or Baruto primarily for this role, since Sakakibara knows that Fedor keeps his own guys in the same non commital career situation he's had himself post PRIDE, and the other potential candidates for the role lost when it counted/couldnt be consistently successful (Albrektsson, Aukstuolis, Singh).

They have also been promoting Aliakbari somewhat, but not as much as the other two, since its believed that he's using RIZIN as a platform to get into the UFC, and they are therefor reluctant to fully commit to him. Depending on how the tournament plays out and how negotiations go, he could still possibly turn into their top guy.

Jiri (re)injuring his knee kinda screwed up the planning; TK is an okay replacement in name value, but they know he's not gonna be a major face of the promotion at this point in his career, plus he doesnt have the marketability of Baruto (who's a star already) or Jiri (who they've been selling heavily as a "foreign samurai", the handsome gaijin with indomitable bushido spirit kinda guy).

So this tourney is pretty interesting from a brand building perspective as well.

 

[The Penetrator]

Roided Shane Carwin fighting 3 fights in 2 days...

Now tell me how the fuck can anyone not like this?

 

[frandie2b]

I have the feeling that Aliakbari is gonna beat Carwin.

 

[glennrod]

I wonder what Carwin's grounded knee game is like...

 

[qw3rty]

i love the card right now...i prefer tk than jiri...<cheer>

 

[SalvadorAllende]

Yeah I would have preferred to see both guys get easier match ups, Amir could definitely beat Carwin at this point I think.

I love that fight.

You can not play devils advocate by giving them favorables matchups. People lose those kids of fights all the time.

Carwin is old as fuck and has not won a fight in 5 years and Amir is pretty green.

 

[melvinj0]

I love that fight.

You can not play devils advocate by giving them favorables matchups. People lose those kids of fights all the time.

Carwin is old as fuck and has not won a fight in 5 years and Amir is pretty green.

Its just more me wanting to see the top talent in the tournament distributed.

Also Carwin really isn't that old for a HW.