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Wed Jul 08, 2009 1:55 pm EDT

UFC 100: Couture doesn't like Mir's gameplan

By Steve Cofield

No one has better perspective on the UFC heavyweight championship fight between Frank Mir and Brock Lesnar fight than the former champ Randy Couture. The 220-pound Couture locked horns with Lesnar and fought an even first round before getting blasted with a knee and a huge right that finished the fight. Mir told Cagewriter that he's going test Lesnar's cardio and make it long fight. Couture told Cagewriter he doesn't like that approach:

"I just don't know if that's the right gameplan. To try and stay outside of a guy that long and big, and pick at him, because it doesn't too many of those [Lesnar shots], I can attest to, to make your night short."

Maybe Mir is too confident in his stand-up after beating Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira:

"I would think Mir would still try to get it to the ground. Get him out of position, get him over-aggressive. As he has a tendency to do and find a way to submit him again."

Couture is confident that Lesnar will show marked improvement in his fifth fight. The biggest thing he'd like to see if a more patient approach especially when he gets someone down. The 37 hammerfists in 14 seconds to finish Couture at UFC 91 looked impressive but Couture says Lesnar would be better served by loading up and landing big shots.

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20 Comments

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  1. Clint
    1. Posted by Clint Wed Jul 08, 2009 2:23 pm EDT

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    I would listen to Couture!
    Although his strategy didn't work out so well when he fought Lesnar!
  2. Clint
    2. Posted by Clint Wed Jul 08, 2009 2:27 pm EDT

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    Love how Randy is telling Brock to slow it down with the hammer fists and, "Load up and land Big Shots!!" I think Randy is trying to get Mir killed!!!!
    I think Randy was right on with the dirty boxing - He did damage! Brock has trouble when you are inside of those cinder block straight punches.....The only problem is if he gets you down, He simply weighs too much to get him off of you. That combined with his wrestling skills leaves you on your back or curled up catching hammer fists! No escape!
  3. Catalyst
    3. Posted by Catalyst Wed Jul 08, 2009 2:28 pm EDT

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    If Couture says Mir has got the wrong plan, then Mir has the wrong plan. Couture has seemingly never failed in devising a gameplan, even if he ends up losing the fight. He's never walked into the ring and been made out to be a nobody.
  4. Rob R
    4. Posted by Rob R Wed Jul 08, 2009 2:33 pm EDT

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    I don't think it mattered what strategy Couture used on Lesnar.
    As far as the 37 in 14...I wouldn't say it looked "impressive." It looked like a massive noogie. Not something I want to have happen to me...but not "impressive" either.
    The problem with loading up and throwing one big shot at a time is that if Mir sees it coming he can shift his weight and try to throw up his legs. If I was Brock, I'd stay off the ground unless I knew I was going to be in an advantageous and safe position. Otherwise, I'd only go to the ground if Mir was hurt, and then I'd swarm him with 37 hammerfists in 14 seconds.
  5. Rob R
    5. Posted by Rob R Wed Jul 08, 2009 2:38 pm EDT

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    Good point, Catalyst. Couture looked OK for a 45 year old man against a 30 year old freak of nature that outweighed him by 50+ pounds and outreached him by about 10 inches.
    At the same time, Couture admitted that he wasn't prepared for the reach to give him the problems that it gave him.
    So...While he might not have game-planned as well as he should have, he recognizes where his game plan fell short. If I was Mir, I'd listen to my trainers. If I was Mir's trainers, I'd listen to Randy Couture.
  6. True American
    6. Posted by True American Wed Jul 08, 2009 2:43 pm EDT

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    Mir is playing with Brock's ignorance here. He wants Brock to think he's gonna stand up with him then take him to the ground for some submission moves...... If Mir does stand with Brock I say 43 seconds and Brock KO's Mir!
  7. jeremy r
    7. Posted by jeremy r Wed Jul 08, 2009 3:04 pm EDT

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    I think Lesnar is a totally different fighter than the one that lost to Mir the first time and I think Mir is coming in over confident because he has the win over Lesnar already. Lesnar has been learning under fire, this is going to be a totally different fight, I can only hope that Lesnar shuts up Mir by some well aimed punches to the grill.
  8. jeremy r
    8. Posted by jeremy r Wed Jul 08, 2009 3:05 pm EDT

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    Mir is to dam cocky!!
  9. Rob R
    9. Posted by Rob R Wed Jul 08, 2009 3:06 pm EDT

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    How is Mir going to take Brock to the ground if Brock doesn't want to go there? He's not going to be able to shoot on him. His only chance is to get in the clinch and trip him or pull guard. Or get hit with a punch, fall down, and play possum.
  10. AdamG
    10. Posted by AdamG Wed Jul 08, 2009 3:40 pm EDT

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    I don't like it either. The preview show last night sealed the deal for me. I'm picking Lesnar to unify the belt now.
  11. rwl060
    11. Posted by rwl060 Wed Jul 08, 2009 4:19 pm EDT

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    Not surprisingly, Couture is absolutely right. Mir thinks he can afford to be patient, which just does not strike me as a good idea. Lesnar will either knock a passive Mir down with a punch, or will take him down (easily) and establish quick control on the ground. Lesnar will be paying more attention to where his limbs are this time, and Mir will get busted up.
  12. fightchica
    12. Posted by fightchica Wed Jul 08, 2009 5:06 pm EDT

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    We it is true Lesnar has learned as he has fought. I do think though that in the strategy of having Brock chase him, Mir will possibly frustrate Lesnar into making a mistake th Frank can capitalize on. But in doing so he could also visually give Octogon control to Brock. The inherant risk of course being the fact that Lesnar can catch him before he gets tired. As for wading in and out that increases Frank's risks of getting caught. Trip the big guy and see how hard he falls? My question is from what angle does this occur? Lenars rush forward? Frank's agile side step? Frank wading in to pull guard and then changing the dynamic force to the reverse? Flying heel hook????Hmmmmmmmm. Could be very interesting. I do agree in that when he (Brock) lands his right with all his weight behind it even the toughest chin in the business is going to go down.
  13. Rob R
    13. Posted by Rob R Wed Jul 08, 2009 5:24 pm EDT

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    Fightchica...If Mir tries anything "flying" he's going to get swatted off like a mosquito.
    Mir's chances are:
    - Counterpunching
    - Close range striking
    - Trip, judo throw, or pull guard from the clinch (trying to pull guard on Brock seems dangerous to me)
    - Get hit and play possum on the ground
  14. mathiasmorciglio
    14. Posted by mathiasmorciglio Wed Jul 08, 2009 6:13 pm EDT

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    I gotta agree with Randy there. One I think that Randy is one of the best guys out there at putting together a gameplan to fight an opponent, and two I just think Lesnar has too much power to give him the chance to blast you. It only takes one good shot. I think Mir should stay on the outside with his striking and go for a sub (or subs) first chance he gets.
  15. fightchica
    15. Posted by fightchica Wed Jul 08, 2009 8:12 pm EDT

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    Flynig heel hook was just suppositon but Rob R I do like the analogy of the swatted mosquito. Think it would be so, truly.
    Counterpunching???? I think more of connecting after a feint. Work the lower inside leg with kicks, circle left or right and body shot or upper cut from the outside angle, use the legs hop back and do it again. Mir is flexible, I wonder how much he skips rope and how good he is at changing direction. Speed and agility along with dominant submission skills will be his best friends.
    Nut, I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that Kim and Randy didn't have pre-nuptual agreement because they were married before the flow was coming in, in any big way and built the money later in the marriage.
  16. Kauz
    16. Posted by Kauz Wed Jul 08, 2009 10:46 pm EDT

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    Burn...
  17. mike5o
    17. Posted by mike5o Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:17 am EDT

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    People, give nut a break. He's exhausted from his long return trek from Bali. Those $5 short times can wear anyone down.
  18. jc
    18. Posted by jc Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:20 am EDT

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    off subject : i am dissapointed but not suprised that they changed the catagory from mma to ufc. how much did zuffa pay for that?
  19. Slick K. Mastermind
    19. Posted by Slick K. Mastermind Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:30 am EDT

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    Last time I checked Mir won his fight with Lesnar.
  20. event horizon
    20. Posted by event horizon Thu Jul 09, 2009 4:56 am EDT

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    Man, Couture aint doing nothing but helping the house fix the numbers...bunch of crap.... the fix is in...

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