“Sobral is so tough. When he comes, he comes to fight. It will be a good test for me. With Sobral, I will try to fight (my) stand-up game. If it goes to the ground, I will take top position and work him over with my ground and pound. Sobral will have to watch out for my elbows; I want to use them in this fight. If I end up on my back, I can defend myself and eventually we will stand back up again.”
– Former DREAM middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi prepares for his stiffest test to date when he challenges Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion Renato Sobral at Affliction 3: ‘Trilogy” on August 1 from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. “The Dreamcatcher” has finally made his long anticipated move to 205 lbs., and if his recent drubbing of Mark Hunt at DREAM 9 back in May is any indication, Mousasi is going to make a lot of noise in the heavier weight classes. First things first — get past the very dangerous “Babalu,” who doesn’t plan on being anyone’s stepping stone. Did Mousasi bite off more than he can chew? Or is Sobral going to sleep? Predictions please.
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I’m really a big babalu fan and think that this could be fight of the night and go either way!
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mousasi by domination, he is a beast.
Moussasi is a rising star and I think he knows just how important this fight is and will come ready for war.
Babalu is a tough SOB and is always dangerous but sometimes a little laid back when he needs to be loooking for the kill.
Mousassi is always looking to finish and I think this will be the deciding factor as he will likely overwhelm Babalu from strikes as I don’t see him subbing Babs any time soon but don’t forget this is MMA and stranger things have happened.
TO me, this fight will be one of the best fights of the summer and I very hard one to predict. By now, everyone knows that MOusasi is one of mma fastest rising stars…..but Babalu is NOT TO BE OVERLOOKED! Babz is NO JOKE, and possesses the skills and overall toughness to beat ANYONE on any given night. This fight is NO CAKEWALK for mOusasi. Should be a terrific fight. I expect MOusasi to win this fight standing. Mousasi has a good ground game, but I would avoid going to the ground with Babz at all costs!
I’m anxious to see MOusasi incorporate elbows to his deadly striking assault!
HAHAHA Awesome!
I’m still not confident if it was the right move to go at 205(mouss).Beating a out of shape Hunt doesn’t give us much what to expect from Gegard at 205.Babalu will be a very tough test for him!Im leaning toward Mouss for this one though!
Start believing now Alpha. I might pull a John and “close” the Mousasi WarWagon to everyone else like they did with Machida. lol. Seriously though, Babalu’s stand up is decent at best. Gegard has him beat bad in that area. Gegard has excellent jiu jitsu defense, and has never been (t)ko’d so I would assume the only way for Babz to win is by decision.
Given Babalu’s toughness, I think Mousasi will sprawl n brawl his way to a clear cut decision, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Mousasi hurt him on the feet, then finish with some gnp and elbows.
I want to believe…(just that I don’t want him to lose)that’s why in the wagon I got the 1st seat behind the shotgun seat(yours)bro!
I couldn’t agree more…stand up = Mouss
Jits = ??
TD = Mouss
I won’t be astonish if he KO babz a la Lambert and I won’t be surprise if he sub him either…
He’s suppose to pacticipate(with Fedor) at the ADCC the next month after his fight.Still don’t know if he will…but I expect him to go…so he’ll be more,than prepare to roll with Babz on the ground!
Did you send me a reply on PSN the other day?If so sorry I didn’t check again?
Sobral is gonna outwrestle and sub mousasi. In the standup, mousasi kills him. I don’t buy the good defensive BJJ from mousasi. Who have we seen it against and don’t bring up Kang because he enjoys jumping into subs. I don’t believe babz will lose takedowns or let him get on top. I haven’t seen his sweeping game either but babalu isn’t some random mcdojo BB. He’s a good prospect and has tools to deal with babalu, but the babalu of today seems to fight with some semblance of strategy so i expect a workmanlike decision or sub.
Alpha- still waiting on the ADCC participants, if not too much trouble. Don’t know if you saw my response to your post but i am wondering if there are any european guys to watch out for. The only trial results, i kept up with are from brazil and japan.
What gives mania, all my posts keep getting modded? Anyways, Alpha – any chance to get that list of ADCC competitors(My post in the forrest thread had a few questions too for you). Also Babz’s wrestling, top game and now penchant for fighting with some semblance of strategy should lead him to a workmanlike UD or possibly sub. In the standup, Mousasi kills him but aside from that i haven’t seen anything impressive in Gegard’s grappling game. But who knows, he might end up killing everyone in ADCC next month.
he rolled out of that arm bar that dong sik yoon had pretty tight, that was amazing… then he survived on the ground against jacare long enough to knock him out with that upkick… then again both those guys are at 185 so babalu is definitely stronger but still, mousasi is decent on the ground… gonna be a great fight either way!
NNR…Sorry I didn’t had time to give you a reply the other day.
Yes,they are plenty of European guys to watch out for as you,will see in the list…(hope Mania let me post it).
You’ll probably get what you want for the Lister/Arona match b/c Lister is still rumor to be there and Arona did confirmed that he’ll participate in Barcelona…
This even gonna be great…a lots of good guys will be there…I’m,expecting to see the good guys from Alliance and Gracie Barra too.The weight class have still a couple wild card places available,so rumor said…
Fedor,Overeem,Mir,Napao,Mousasi,Dean Lister,Arona,Rashad Evans,GSP,Rolls/Royler/Kron Gracie,Maia,Saulo Ribeiro,Aoki,Nick Diaz,Jacare and Sean Sherk…all suppose to be there.
For the women i’m so glad to see Hillary in there with Megumi and Gracie…it should be very,interesting to see if Megumi,will be caught in a triangle/arm bar again from Kyra.
As for GSP (my homeboy).I can’t wait to see his skills now that he’s a legitimate black belt.I also hope that he won’t get subbed as bad,than the last time.
Maia is still undecide to go but he wont be,able to compete after the beating that he’ll get from Nate on August 29.j/k
Anyway there is the list buddy…
ADCC 2009 World Championship, 25th -27th September Barcelona Spain
SUPERFIGHT
Roger Gracie. Brazil vs Robert Drysdale. USA
Competitors:
-60kg
1. Kyra Gracie. Brazill
(ADCC World Champion)
2. Sayaka Shioda. Japan
(ADCC World Champion)
3. Megumi Fujii. Japan
(Asian & Pacific Trials winner)
4. Michelle Tavares. Brazil
(South American Trials winner)
5. Laurence Cousin. France
(European Trials winner)
6. Ina Steffensen. Denmark
(European Champion)
7. Hillary Williams. USA
(North American Trials winner)
8. Wild card
+60kg
1. Hannette Staack. USA
(ADCC World Champion)
2. Penny Thomas. USA
(ADCC World Champion)
3. Hitomi Hiraiwa. Japan
(Asian & Pacific Trials winner)
4. Rosângela Conceição. Brazil
(South American Trials winner)
5. Ida Hansson. Sweden
(European Trials winner)
6. Shanti Abelha. Denmark
(European Champion)
7. Lana Stephanac. USA
(North American Trials winner)
8. Wild card 1/4
-65.9kg
1. Rahi Yahya. Brazil
(ADCC World Champion)
2. Kouhei Yasumi. Japan
(Asian Trials winner)
3. Rafael Mendes. Brazil
(South American Trials winner)
4. Nicolas Renier. France
(European Trials winner)
5. Timo-Juhani Hirvikangas. Finland
(European Champion)
6. Ryan Hall. USA
(North American east coast Trials winner)
7. David Marinakis. Australia
(Pacific Trials winner)
8. Jayson Patino. USA
(North American west coast Trials winner)
9-16 Wild card
-76.9kg
1. Marcelo Garcia. Brazil
(ADCC World Champion)
2. K-taro Nakamura. Japan
(Asian Trials winner)
3. Murilo Santana. Brazil
(South American Trials winner)
4. Marcelo Azevedo. Italy
(European Trials winner)
5. Toni Linden. Finland
(European Champion)
6. Don Ortega. USA
(North American east coast Trials winner)
7. Rodney Ellis. Australia
(Pacific Trials winner)
8. Enrico Cocco. USA
(North American west coast Trials winner)
9 -16 Wild card 2/4
-87.9kg
1. Damian Maia. Brazil
(ADCC World Champion)
2. Kazuhiro Nakamura. Japan
(Asian Trials winner)
3. André Galvão. Brazil
(South American Trials winner)
4. Kassim Annan. France
(European Trials winner)
5. Trond Saksenvik. France
(European Champion)
6. Jason Selva. USA
(North American east coast Trials winner)
7. Igor Praporshchikov. Australia
(Pacific Trials winner)
8. Chris Weidman. USA
(North American west coast Trials winner)
9 -16 Wild card
-98.9kg
1. Xande Ribeiro. Brazil
(ADCC World Champion)
2. Ukiya Naito. Japan
(Asian Trials winner)
3. Glover Teixeira. Brazil
(South American Trials winner)
4. Radek Turek. Poland
(European Trials winner)
5. Andreas Olsen. Norway
(European Champion)
6. Rafael Davies. USA
(North American east coast Trials winner)
7. Anthony Perosh. Australia
(Pacific Trials winner)
8. Gerardi Rinaldi. USA
(North American west coast Trials winner)
9 -16 Wild card 3/4
+99kg
1. Fabricio Werdum. Brazil
(ADCC World Champion)
2. Kouji Kanechika. Japan
(Asian Trials winner)
3. Antoine Jaoude. Brazil
(South American Trials winner)
4. Tomasz Janiszewski. Poland
(European Trials winner)
5. Janne-Pekka Pietiläinen. Finland
(European Champion)
6. Asa Fuller. USA
(North American east coast Trials winner)
7. Denis Roberts. Australia
(Pacific Trials winner)
8. Tom DeBlass. USA
(North American west coast Trials winner)
9 -16 Wild card
Seriously pumped for the ADCC’s. It will great if half of the rumoured spots come true.
It’s a 99% certainty that I’ll be there and should be travelling with 20+ people from our academy as well so it will be an awesome experience for sure.
Grappletastic!
IM pumped as well!
Thank you! man, i am pumped. Let’s hope GSP learns to defend that flyin armbar. I am surprised to see Hillary too, i knew she was good but when she won purple at worlds, i was kinda shocked. We’ll see how her game stacks up. Kyra has been on a slide right now but i bet she turns it up. Don’t know if he’s gonna participate but the one guy from alliance i wanna see there is Sergio. It would be so sick if he had a rematch with Kron. Also any word on the Snowman?
this is gonna be a great fight. mousasi’s a stud and fighting in the US will bring about a bunch of exciting fights for him.
Kevin.. F YOU!
Gabo, if you haven’t anything cool to say, then STFU. It’s already past your bedtime. Make your momma proud.
this kid is sick…GABO! pls drink your medicine before facing the computer..
i really can’t wait for this fight..babalu is a very well rounded fighter and so is gerard..i want gerald to win this fight…but it could go either way..so just expecting a good fight..
how many nicknames does mousasi have… the young vagabond, the dreamcatcher… i believe he will win this fight, i think he has the better striking and more than capable ground game to do just fine wherever the fight goes… hes been in some pretty bad situations against several opponnents on the ground and managed to get out, not to mention he triangled dennis kang and melvin manhoef
i like gegard and babalu both a lot but i really think gegard is the underdog for a right reason. babalu has almost twice the fights is a bigger man, and has fought hands down way better competition. i see babalu finishing this fight
and he got ko’d by jason lambert, not to mention he got owned by soko in the first round and waited for him to gas, and was getting owned by bobby southworth before cutting him.
i like babalu but hes not the world destroyer people make him out to be. i think mousasi is already an amazing fighter and will keep getting better.
mousasi by tko
Armenian by foot decapitation
Brazilian via incineration
Babalu will slow down Gegard’s meteoric rise. I’m a fan of both, but I want Gegard to lose this one so that he comes back as the best fighter ever!
Mousasi will give Babalu a lot of problems, he is a well rounded fighter and is on a roll at the moment. I’m not a big Babalu fan, I think he’s disrespectful and overrated but he’s still a tough test, however this is Mousasi’s time to shine and this will be the fight that catapults him to stardom.
I like Babalu but Mousasi will open a lot of people’s eyes with this fight – I expect him to beat Babalu by TKO quite convincingly. Apart from Chuck, who else has beat Babulu convincingly (those who think Lambert beat him effortlessly, watch the fight again)? Therefore, a comprehensive stoppage will serve as an eye-opener for many American fans. 2009 and 2010 will prove to be prosperous years for Mousasi, and if he continues to train with Fedor and with such diligence I don’t see him losing…period.
Boxers dont have a problem stepping up in weight one or two classes. This is MMA. Babalu by destruction.
I’ve always been under the impression that Babalu doesn’t cut weight because he’s oldschool. So his walk-around weight might be similar to Mousasi’s, if not even smaller. We’ll see, I suppose.
If Mousasi don’t win this one I’ll take my life!
I’m not a fan of either but come on!
I have to disagree with most of you. It might because Im bias towards babalu. Since hes one of my favorite fighters. Esp how under rated he is.
Im gonna have to go with sobral in this fight. I think his experience is gonna shine through in this fight. Hell hold two belts at a time. Hendo style. Except in two diff orgs. Mark my words.
But then again IOm usually wrong in my predictions since im usually an underdog fight. And 90% of the time in this sport the underdog doesnt shine through. Esxcept for the amazing Serra style fight.
Sobral for the win.
Renato is the shit top 10 without a doubt but Gegard will take this one his striking is what will make the big difference.
Gegard is a top 10 fighter, not Renato!
I think Mousasi takes this one easily.
He is one of the most underrated fighters in the game.
Same.
Think Gegard grabs the W in the first round.
Mousasi via tko round 2. Sobral, will hang around until the second round until he’s put away with some vicious elbows
gerard moussasi is so much better ….
and i think he would beat A.Silva !!!!
but now he is a light heavyweight and he is a TOP 5 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT FOR SURE !!!! GREETZ FROM BELGIUM!!