K1 | SportsFilter

Sapp is a draw. He's not close to being as technically proficient (at least in the clips etc. I've seen on TV) as the other fighters...but look at the guy. Crowd favorite in that sense, being a giant and all. He got booted from the Vikings for testing positive for steroids, which he of course denies he was taking. But look at him...

posted by chris2sy at 11:18 AM - reply - flag:

It posted twice...stupid click-spasm...

posted by chris2sy at 11:19 AM - reply - flag:

I've eben watching K1 on and off for about 2 years now - I remember Sapp clubbing some guy who had good form, but not the chin to take a firm whack from someone the size of Sapp and he left the ring immediately, because they consider it a dishonour to lose to some big guy with nothing to offer but haymakers. I thought it was quite funny.

posted by Mr Bismarck at 11:32 AM - reply - flag:

It's a different mindset, for sure. (And at this point, if Tyson can get paid to fight in any situation, Tyson will get involved. He strikes me as being in that sad place where he'd go from town to town fighting livestock or something.)

posted by chicobangs at 11:46 AM - reply - flag:

K-1 is a fighting format that combines the most skilful and effective elements of all martial arts ...referees ruthlessly preventing any holding Well, elements from some martial arts, then. Certainly not the ones I'd consider the most effective. I'd much rather watch a fight between two skilled grapplers.

posted by rocketman at 11:46 AM - reply - flag:

But I'll check this out if it comes to an arena near me

posted by rocketman at 11:50 AM - reply - flag:

He strikes me as being in that sad place where he'd go from town to town fighting livestock or something. Maybe he can star in a remake of this movie.

posted by rocketman at 11:56 AM - reply - flag:

Puh-leese. The history of martial arts, particularly in the last 125 years or so, is absolutely littered with rad new great breakthrough styles that took all the good stuff and discarded all the crap and were the ne plus ultra. Why should anyone who didn't just fall off the turnip truck think this one is any different?

posted by lil_brown_bat at 12:52 PM - reply - flag:

Its brutal, I'll give it that.

posted by garfield at 01:25 PM - reply - flag:

I've been watching MMA for a couple years now, and would have to say I like it as much as boxing of which I have been a fan since I was 8 years old. There is a great reality show on spike right now about the UFC. There is a UFC PPV this Saturday which will be VERY entertaining. UFC has come a long way from tough man contests. These guys are amazing athletes. I think a lot of them are more commited to their sport than many boxers. MMA is a legitimate sport IMO.

posted by kremb at 01:40 PM - reply - flag:

I agree with the Sapp sentiment here. I've also seen him fight a few times and while he is certainly the bigger man, he is slower and much less technically sound. I honestly don't know if I've ever even seen him win... The most entertaining match I saw was live and the FIRST attack was a kick by one guy that squarly hit the other guy and knocked him out cold. Everyone in the crowd just gasped in an "awwww" and even the fight was like, "Huh, did I really just do that?"

posted by jmd82 at 04:43 PM - reply - flag:

If there is no holding allowed, I don't see Tyson getting anywhere here!...

posted by LROD at 04:52 PM - reply - flag:

Or biting. Come on, you know somebody had to chime in with that.

posted by Drood at 11:47 PM - reply - flag:

K1 is is good fun, in general, but Sapp is rubbish. He is carefully placed against mid card fighters to preserve his rep; every time he's faced top fighters he gets beaten like the family pig - Ray Sefo KOed him in two, and he's getting on. Other times he gets disqualified for losing his rag ang cheating as soon as he started losing, eg his match with Bonjasky, where he used an (illegal) throw and then started pounding on the back of the prone man's head. Bonjasky, incidentally, is an amazing fighter to watch. One of the most agile big men you'll see.

posted by rodgerd at 04:40 AM - reply - flag:

Alexey Ignashov is another one to look at. He's a tall guy with a soft looking chin and body - pasty skin, a slight pot belly. He looks like a soft, scared kid coming in to most of the fights I've seen. He's lethal. He's a careful, thoughtful fighter who takes people apart by being smarter than the are as often as not.

posted by rodgerd at 04:47 AM - reply - flag:

Alexey practices the art of Muray-Thai according to the website. What is that? Riddling the opposition with quotes from Groundhog Day? Haha... No seriously that is a great movie.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 07:34 AM - reply - flag:

Alexey practices the art of Muray-Thai according to the website. What is that? It's "Muay Thai". Thai kickboxing.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 07:37 PM - reply - flag:

Thursday, February 03, 2005

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