UFC 73 Card finalized

[metallithrax]

The following is the OFFICIAL fight card for UFC 73 "Stacked" scheduled for July 7th at the ARCO Arena in California:

-Anderson Silva ? vs. Nathan Marquardt

-Sean Sherk ? vs. Hermes Franca

-Tito Ortiz vs. Rashad Evans

-Kenny Florian vs. Alvin Robinson

-Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Heath Herring

-Stephan Bonnar vs. Mike Nickels

-Jorge Gurgel vs. Diego Saraiva

-Chris Lytle vs. Drew Fickett

-Frank Edgar vs. Mark Bocek

Source - MMANEWS

[Rappy Veteran]

That looks a strong card especially with Big Nog there who could destroy his opponent in one go...Tito I think will win and Sean Sherk will lose.

[metallithrax]

That looks a strong card especially with Big Nog there who could destroy his opponent in one go...Tito I think will win and Sean Sherk will lose.

Yeah, although I like Rashad I don't think he can live with Tito

[Rappy Veteran]

Yeah, although I like Rashad I don't think he can live with Tito

Theres alot of heated words running up to this for example Tito called him a "nappyhead" that was uncalled for imo...Tito is all mouth but he can back his mouth up...

[metallithrax]

Theres alot of heated words running up to this for example Tito called him a "nappyhead" that was uncalled for imo...Tito is all mouth but he can back his mouth up...

Yeah, I heard about the "nappy head" remark. I would love Rashad to kick his ass but I don't think it will happen. I have never liked Tito and ove it when he gets his ass kicked, but when I watched Ultimate Fighter with Tito and Shamrock as coaches Tito came across as the better person.

[Zoom7000]

Theres alot of heated words running up to this for example Tito called him a "nappyhead" that was uncalled for imo...Tito is all mouth but he can back his mouth up...

Well, in his recent fights, he's only really backed it up against an aging Ken Shamrock. I think he was awfully lucky against Forrest Griffin, that fight could have gone either way, and I think the judges gave it to Tito cause it was his big return!

Having said that, I'd really like to see Tito work his way up in the LH Division again. It seems unlikely he'll get far though cause it seems the Pride guys will dominate. He'll need to improve big time. More time training and less time with Jenna! :rofl:

[Rappy Veteran]

Yeah, I heard about the "nappy head" remark. I would love Rashad to kick his ass but I don't think it will happen. I have never liked Tito and ove it when he gets his ass kicked, but when I watched Ultimate Fighter with Tito and Shamrock as coaches Tito came across as the better person.

Yeah I would love to see Tito take on Jackson...Tito would so get his ass handed to him...I mean look what Chuck did to Tito and what Rampage did to Chuck...:D

[LRoling]

If you want entertaining, Rashad Evans is not your man. Most of his fights go the distance, and they are boring. I could be wrong, but for the most part, all the Evans fights I've seen are the most boring fights ever. Rashad Evans vs. Assuerio Silva would make for the most boring fight in the history of fighting. He just clenches and throws some punches, and that's it. I think Tito will take it to him since he loves to entertain and he's pretty aggressive.

[Rappy Veteran]

Ortiz is at it again!!!

?I am really pumped on caving Rashads face in? more focused than I have ever been I think. He really has no idea what he is in for?I guess until you get your ass kicked really good, you never really do. I am going to make him rethink his career in the UFC. Maybe he should go back to flipping burgers after I put him in a wheel chair. LOL?

[Zoom7000]

?I am really pumped on caving Rashads face in? more focused than I have ever been I think. He really has no idea what he is in for?I guess until you get your ass kicked really good, you never really do. I am going to make him rethink his career in the UFC. Maybe he should go back to flipping burgers after I put him in a wheel chair. LOL?

It's all good being able to trash talk, but it just ain't entertaining when you've been handed your ass on a plate 1 too many times.

Win your way to the top and then decide whether or not to run your mouth!

[Rappy Veteran]

It's all good being able to trash talk, but it just ain't entertaining when you've been handed your ass on a plate 1 too many times.

Win your way to the top and then decide whether or not to run your mouth!

He ran his mouth before the Dan White boxing bout and he pulled out because he wasn't sure of the details...I never really liked him...I laughed when Chuck handed his ass to him...

[digipoi]

He ran his mouth before the Dan White boxing bout and he pulled out because he wasn't sure of the details...I never really liked him...I laughed when Chuck handed his ass to him...

I laughed when he cried in the ring. I think it was against Couture. Anywho, I hear Liddel vs. V Silva might be coming up soon. That I want to see.

[Rappy Veteran]

I laughed when he cried in the ring. I think it was against Couture. Anywho, I hear Liddel vs. V Silva might be coming up soon. That I want to see.

It won't be for sometime silva's out for 7-8 months I hear which means Chuck will have to wait but thats good he needs to regroup after Quintons beat down...

[LRoling]

It's unbelievable the amount of people who seriously give Tito crap for losing. Handed his ass on a plate one too many times? He got beat by Couture and Chuck Liddell, two legends in the UFC. To be honest, I don't absolutely hate Tito Ortiz. I think that he blatantly talks trash to hype the fights into a more interesting fight for the fans to see. His last few bouts, of course, we against an old age in both MMA and age, Ken Shamrock. But when you see his record and fight statistics, he lost to Couture, an MMA legend and master at dismantling someone's aggressive style, and Liddell, who Ortiz went 3 rounds with and got caught. It isn't like he lost to Wayne Weems.

And also, Silva confirmed he was out for the rest of the year to train for 2008 UFC fights, BUT... apparently Dana White is trying to push that deadline up for the end of the year to get this fight for October, November, December timeframe.

I will say Ortiz borderlines the ridiculous when it comes to hyping a fight, almost to the point of WWE type stuff. He also was stupid to even put a clause in his contract to box with Dana White as a "get the bad blood" out boxing match. It was a lose-lose for Tito, if he won or lost. That's why he backed out. He can give all the reasons he wants, but beating the president of UFC would have looked ridiculous, and getting beat by Dana would have made Ortiz look like a giant puss.

[Rappy Veteran]

Yeah I don't hate him but I just don't like his attitude but I think that helps his morale for the fights...

[LRoling]

I think the attitude is part of his whole fighting persona. It was somewhat wierd to see this guy who has been literally talking **** his entire UFC career teach guys on TUF how to fight, how to work hard, and condition themselves for the Octagon. He did a very good job, IMO. His guys seemed much more in shape and ready to fight, and you see that part of the fighter he is. But then the promotional stuff for the fight begins, and Tito, like always, must be in the center of the hype. That's his character.

Some fighters in UFC don't do it to that extent, but they do somewhat do that type of stuff. Calling people out, saying they will reign the division, creating hatred.

[Rappy Veteran]

This is gonna be a good ppv I think...Ortiz might get his ass handed to him...who knows tho with Ortiz?...and Silva and Sherk 2 title matches :D

[Rappy Veteran]

This weekend!!!

[Rappy Veteran]

Tonight!!!...just me watching then ;)

[Googintosh]

The UFC commentator Mike Goldberg lied twice during the Evans-Ortiz fight. He said only two guys have beaten Tito Ortiz in the last nine years, Liddell and Couture. In 1999, Tito Ortiz lost to Frank Shamrock via strikes for the MW title. It's hard to believe he'd forget a historic match like that, or maybe his math sucks, or Frank Shamrock could be right about the UFC trying to erase him from their history.

PS. Nogueira vs. Heath Herring was my favourite match of the PPV. I'm glad the referee let them go when Nogueira was knocked down, but Herring really should have tried to finish him on the ground after that.

Edited July 8, 2007 by Googintosh

[TDQuiksilver]

Touted as the most "stacked" card to date and almost should have been rated as one of the biggest bore fests to date. Three decision matches in a row? Ugh. I've known UFC to be so much more in every PPV fight prior. I love my constant dose of UFC, but I agree with the continual boo'ing heard throughout the entire PPV.

[Rappy Veteran]

Wow that was a weird ppv it just didn't seem right...I mean Big Nog was knocked down that was a bit shocking but I agree it was good the ref allowed it to continue and a draw between Ortiz and Evans :unsure:

[Googintosh]

I didn't find it boring at all and I'm usually critical of UFC PPVs. I enjoyed every match, even the Ortiz fight. Even though the Ortiz match was lackluster, there was some anticipatory excitement because I was expecting Evans to bust out any moment.

Generally the crowd boos as soon as the guys go to the ground. They have no appreciation of the grappling and submission game, they just want to see mindless brawling -- stark contrast to Japanese fans, where you hear loud oohs-and-awes when submissions are attempted.

The UFC doesn't seem to push activity as much as PRIDE did, maybe they should implement a similar system of fouls for inactivity, and reset the match more often.

Last night was a good example of why I dislike the cage, it played a huge role in the Ortiz match. Not only did he grab it on several occasions, he tries to pin his opponents against it.

During the lightweight title match, every time they were in the north-south position or side mount I was cringing. If knees were allowed the fight would have been over quickly. Because of that, UFC fights seem watered down to me. They really need to allow kneeing/kicking/stomping to a grounded opponent. Not only would it make fights more exciting for casual fans, it would also deter inactivity on the ground, again creating a more exciting fight for the casual fans.

If there is a draw in the K-1 Grand Prix, they make them fight an extra round. I think the UFC should do that as well.

[Zoom7000]

I'm shocked that the Ref didn't stop Big Nog in the first round. He took a lot of shots and that was really borderline. I think most of the regular UFC refs would have stopped it. He was lucky to survive that, but probably deserved rounds 2 and 3

[Rappy Veteran]

I'm shocked that the Ref didn't stop Big Nog in the first round. He took a lot of shots and that was really borderline. I think most of the regular UFC refs would have stopped it. He was lucky to survive that, but probably deserved rounds 2 and 3

Not the sort of debut he wanted to be honest...but UFC is new to him being used to Pride.