Point taken, and respect to you and Lindland for taking the step up.

However, Lindland has serious skills, technique and a fantastic mental approach. You can see it in the way he came out and took the fight to the bigger man.

Rickson Gracie proved that technique can take you a long way in MMA, and these matchups that pit strengh against technique were, and still are to a certain extent, one of the questions the sport was founded to answer and which fuels its appeal.

On that level it was a good matchup. There are moments in the fight where Fedor’s skills trumped Lindland’s, and as an Olympic wrestler, Lindland certainly had the greater pedigree in that department.

But overall, despite Fedor’s moments, I would have to agree that Lindland probably took alot more from the fight than Fedor.

On who will win between Randy and Fedor, I respect your support for Randy, he looks like he could have been Maximus in Gladiator and everything about the man encourages you to like and respect him. Fedor, on the other hand, looks like an extra from Cheers, came into Pride as an underdog, and for everyone that rates him there has always been a loud minority who claim to ‘know how to beat him’, and have questioned his record, but the funny thing is, no one has beaten him. He always seems to find a way.

“Then why did he have to cheat to beat a Middleweight …” Pie Face

Lindland came into the fight weighing 218 lb. Fedor came into the fight weighing 233 lb. At that weight and only 6 ft tall, Fedor is small for a heavy weight, and 15 lb difference is only alot of weight to someone on a diet.

As far as cheating is concerned, in the situation Fedor was in, grabbing the rope was instinctual. It’s not as if he kicked him in the nuts or anything, and at the end of the day, Fedor won at 2:58 of Round 1, which considering the time most MMA fights take, has to be considered an emphatic victory.

Also, just in case anyone didn’t know it already, Fedor has already beaten UFC Heavyweight Champions, namely Mark Coleman and Kevin “The Monster” Randleman. He also, as I pointed out above, he beat Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (the interim UFC heavyweight champion) twice, and those fights were not close. Fedor dominated Nogueira.

Finally, if Dana White really believed the trash he talks about Fedor, then why was he prepared to offer him more money than Randy Couture, and why was one of the contract sticking points, that Fedor would not be allowed to retire undefeated?

First off, the weight difference IS huge because Fedor is naturaly 230-240, while Lindland is about 190 and a really glorified heavyweight. Natural size makes all the difference in the world. I fought at 205 a year ago when I should have been at 170-185 max and I lost because the other guy was SUPPOSED to be in that class, while I had no business there, not that he was so great, just more naturaly strong than an overweight WW. The strength difference is obvious. I like Fedor, and I agree that he IS the future of the HW devision, but I dont think beating Matt Linland gives him any credibility. Though I totaly agree about grabbing the ropes, you dont have time to think, “hmmm, is what I’m about to do against the rules?” you just react on instinct and do whatever it takes and then go, “oops, sorry”. BUT I Digress, Randy WILL put the first credible loss on his record if Cuban gets their contracts. Hes currently suing Zuffa for the rights to Randy’s contract, and trying to obtain Fedors as well. And he’s got the money to do it. I hope it happens.

Lindland came into the fight weighing 218 lb. Fedor came into the fight weighing 233 lb. At that weight and only 6 ft tall, Fedor is small for a heavy weight, and 15 lb difference is only alot of weight to someone on a diet.

As far as cheating is concerned, in the situation Fedor was in, grabbing the rope was instinctual. It’s not as if he kicked him in the nuts or anything, and at the end of the day, Fedor won at 2:58 of Round 1, which considering the time most MMA fights take, has to be considered an emphatic victory.

Also, just in case anyone didn’t know it already, Fedor has already beaten UFC Heavyweight Champions, namely Mark Coleman and Kevin “The Monster” Randleman. He also, as I pointed out above, he beat Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (the interim UFC heavyweight champion) twice, and those fights were not close. Fedor dominated Nogueira.

Finally, if Dana White really believed the trash he talks about Fedor, then why was he prepared to offer him more money than Randy Couture, and why was one of the contract sticking points, that Fedor would not be allowed to retire undefeated?

24 matches 16 wins 8 losses

Fedor Emelianenko’s record:

30 matches 28 wins 1 loss

(That loss was due to a cut in the first minute of a fight.)

If we were tslking about 2 boxers, even if it was agreed that one had fought a few patsies, and the other had consistently fought the best, there would be no question of who was better, given that the fighter with the better record had at least fought some guys of substance, and I think 2 emphatic victories over Big Nog - the current UFC champion is substance enough, because his credentials are not in question.

Randy has been in with the best and has won some great fights, but he has also lost - 8 times! Fedor has had more fights, some of which have been against poor oponents and some good opponents, but the end result is the same, he wins, and as some fanboys are fond of saying, ‘anyone can lose against anyone else’, except of course
it seems Fedor.

Until he beats Randy and a couple of others he cannot be considered the Floyd Mayweather of MMA, but equally, until he loses those fights, no one has a right to talk the sort of trash that some people on this board (and Dana White) are talking, because he is the only fighter in the history of this sport who could possibly achieve the sort of stature Floyd has achieved in boxing, for the simple reason that any sport is about one thing and one thing only - winning.

Randy is a great fighter because of his courage and ability to defy the odds, but there is nothing he can do about the fact that he has lost 8 times. If he beats Fedor it will prove that Fedor is not the
Floyd Mayweather of MMA, but at this point, what makes Fedor the favourite, is that he even has such a chance, Randy doesn’t, and nor does any other fighter in the history of MMA.

If Fedor doesn’t take the fights he needs to take to silence you guys we will never know how good he really is, and it would be very sad if he didn’t, not only for his fans, but for the whole sport, and I’m as frustrated as anyone that he hasn’t taken those fights yet, but that’s no reason to run the man or his achievements down, and until someone beats him, he does have to be considered the best heavyweight in the world.

Boys…. ALL this ufc thing is bollocks, like you all the fucking yankees u all r poofs. Fedor is the best MMA fighter.

Then why did he have to cheat to beat a Middleweight and by the way im not from the u.s.a and if you think the ufc is bollocks then why are you on http://www.UFC-fights.com?

UFC is garbage. Fedor is the greatest MMA fighter that ever lived, every real fan knows this. He made a name for himself based on pure skill without the aid of the commercialized hype machine that is the UFC. Liddell, Ortiz, and Rampage Jackson are all complete jokes and it’s pathetic that a UFC heavyweight rarely holds the belt for more than a few fights before losing it. Fedor fought top talent and held the Pride championship for four fucking years. UFC’s heavyweight division is an embarrassment and the only people who eat that shit up are little teenage boys who don’t know a god damn thing. You can’t fool the public, Dana White, Fedor is the man no matter what you say, and no title holder in your organization would be able to beat him and you know it. Fuck you.

Umm… lemme think…. RANDY FUCKING COUTURE!!!!! You are a complete idiot, and your bias is stinking up this thread. Please go post on Sherdog, or some other pride nut-hugging thread where sheer biased UFC bashing is the topic of every discusion. Fedor just fought a guy who was 1-0, wtf is that? More than 15 of his apponents were total nobodys, at least 4 were oversized LHW’s, and at least 2 more were purely kickboxers taken out of their element. His record clearly does not define him as the greatest MMA fighter of all time, if you want to point at records to prove greatness, you’ll hate this one, but look at Chuck Liddell’s, at least 15 of his fights WERE actually against top level contenders who still posed a legitamate threat at the time. But I digress. Im 25, I DO fight, and yes, I have a total of 7 fights, all against ABSOLUTE nobodys, and even managed to lose two of them. But that at least qualifies me to have an opinion, unlike all these people who act like gurus while watching MMA from their couch, and my opinion is that not just teenaged boys are fans of the UFC. I own every pride event thats out, and they feed their top tier fighters some big time gimmies. You want a legit heavyweight that would show Fedor what his own ass looks like in a paper bag? RANDY FUCKING COUTURE!!! So get off your imaginary high horse and get with the real world or go join the other nut-huggers on Sherdog.

UFC is garbage. Fedor is the greatest MMA fighter that ever lived, every real fan knows this. He made a name for himself based on pure skill without the aid of the commercialized hype machine that is the UFC. Liddell, Ortiz, and Rampage Jackson are all complete jokes and it’s pathetic that a UFC heavyweight rarely holds the belt for more than a few fights before losing it. Fedor fought top talent and held the Pride championship for four fucking years. UFC’s heavyweight division is an embarrassment and the only people who eat that shit up are little teenage boys who don’t know a god damn thing. You can’t fool the public, Dana White, Fedor is the man no matter what you say, and no title holder in your organization would be able to beat him and you know it. Fuck you.

LOL, Fedor is the greatest fighter that ever lived??? The ufc isnt a joke but your post sure is and so is the fact that you pretend to know about mma! Quinton Rampage Jackson is the best HW in the world at the moment and would beat up anyone in the LHW division! BTW I think Russ should look at some of the posts before people like you come on here mouthing a load of garbage!

UFC is garbage. Fedor is the greatest MMA fighter that ever lived, every real fan knows this. He made a name for himself based on pure skill without the aid of the commercialized hype machine that is the UFC. Liddell, Ortiz, and Rampage Jackson are all complete jokes and it’s pathetic that a UFC heavyweight rarely holds the belt for more than a few fights before losing it. Fedor fought top talent and held the Pride championship for four fucking years. UFC’s heavyweight division is an embarrassment and the only people who eat that shit up are little teenage boys who don’t know a god damn thing. You can’t fool the public, Dana White, Fedor is the man no matter what you say, and no title holder in your organization would be able to beat him and you know it. Fuck you.

LOL, Fedor is the greatest fighter that ever lived??? The ufc isnt a joke but your post sure is and so is the fact that you pretend to know about mma! Quinton Rampage Jackson is the best HW in the world at the moment and would beat up anyone in the LHW division! BTW I think Russ should look at some of the posts before people like you come on here mouthing a load of garbage!

There pros n cons 2 all Leagues wake u arguing DONKEYS !!!!!!!!!! Oh yah Randleman n Fedor need I say anymore

Randleman took horse steroids, need I say more! hahahahahahaha

U dopes Fedor knows how fight in a cage and not end up on his back does the word SAMBO ring a bell you crack heads oh yah chuck got his ars handed 2 him in 900 pieces @ pride and 2 all you neysayers on both sides every fighter has his day theres guys out there you dont know about so wake up all trashtalkers ufc & pride & smell da blood coming out your nose couch fighter

Chuck lost in pride! What does that have to do with Fedor???
Bottom line : Fedor is a pussy he knows his ass would be handed to him in the ufc!

UFC needs Fedor Emelianenko. He will set up new standards.

Well too late for that, Hes off to M1 to fight a 7-1 buffon next up the bearded lady!

thats crazy talk.theres nothing wrong with the conditioning of the boys.check out gsp and sherk 4 example.world class athletes.
high school fight?..tell that 2 anderson silva.
randy,nog and crocop would give fedor a good fight.
stop smokin crack b4 u post.

I so agree bro, I wish Russ would make me an admin so I could ban morons like “doesnt matter” LOL!