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    Beezer, Koe square off in Couture-Lesnar debate

    The biggest fight in UFC history will take place on Saturday night in Las Vegas as Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar battle at UFC 91. RevWrestling.com writers Jim Beezer and William Koe square off with their opinions and predictions.

    Jim Beezer







    Will,

    I don't understand the hype behind Brock Lesnar and his upcoming fight against UFC legend Randy Couture. Lesnar is a physical specimen with amazing poise and agility for a big man, but he's still pretty green. Compared to Couture's fight history (which reads like a who's who in the UFC), Lesnar's resume looks like a guest list for a Las Vegas stag party.

    Opponents:
    Min Soo Kim: Another circus act who has a current MMA record of 3-6
    Frank Mir: Showed flashes of brilliance before revealing his inexperience
    Heath Herring: Nothing "crazy" about the Texas journeyman

    Considering his resume, I don't believe Lesnar is a worthy opponent. His stand-up game is questionable and his ground game is non-existent. In the off-chance that he takes Couture to the mat, Lesnar poses little threat to finishing the fight. It is more likely that the referee will bring the fighters to their feet or Couture will win by submission.

    There's no doubt he has potential, but should he be awarded this fight based upon potential alone? Perhaps a more evenly contested fight would be with another MMA sideshow (perhaps Kimbo Slice).

    Couture is a seasoned veteran and consummate professional. He has underrated striking skills and ever-improving submission skills. He's had to mentally and physically prepare himself for many big fights throughout his career. This fight is just another day at the office for him.

    Can you really compare Brock Lesnar's wrestling skills to Randy Couture's wrestling skills? Lesnar was an NCAA champion. Couture was a four-time U.S. World Team member and Olympic Team alternate
    Lesnar, on the other hand, looks like someone still trying to figure out MMA etiquette, not to mention the skill set required to be considered an elite fighter.

    Lesnar was a good wrestler, but he wasn't the world beater that the MMA "experts" make him out to be. Let's not forget that Couture was a four-time U.S. World Team Member and Olympic Team alternate whose strength lies in controlling his opponent's position. Don't suggest that Lesnar has better wrestling skills unless you are talking about body slams, pile drivers, and clothes lines.

    Much has been made about the difference in size and strength between the two fighters, but Couture has proven before that conditioning, strategy, and technique are more important. Just ask Tito Ortiz, Tim Sylvia, and Mike Van Arsdale, respectively.

    Dana White is a genius for promoting the fight considering the potential revenue from ticket sales and pay-per-view subscriptions. I just don't see how Lesnar can possibly win.

    Sincerely,

    Jim

    William Koe







    Jim --

    Kurt Angle, who won a gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games, thinks MMA fights are no match for being thrown down onto plywood five days a week
    Be careful before you discount pile drivers and body slams. Your boy Kurt Angle (Olympic champion … ever heard of him?) spent this morning explaining to Howard Stern that he was going to start a career in MMA … because pro wrestling was too hard on his body. Kurt explained that MMA fights are no match for being thrown down onto plywood five days a week.

    I'll apologize in advance for bringing up Rico Rodriguez, but he was able to wear Randy down with his size difference in the late rounds of UFC 38. He won on a TKO against your hero. That was almost six years ago, and Lesnar is at least 25 pounds bigger. Being old and undersized is not a recipe for success. Especially against a guy with hands the size of grapefruits.

    Randy was an Olympic alternate to Michael Foy, Derrick Waldroup, and Garret Lowney. Don't feel bad, I haven't heard of them either. Except for Garret Lowney, who happened to be Lesnar's backup for the Gophers.

    Couture has better wresting skills? Lesnar was an NCAA champion and an NCAA runner-up to Cal State Bakerfield's Stephen Neal. Couture was an NCAA runner-up to guy from Cal State Bakersfield that you have never heard of (Paul Keysaw). Then runner up again when he got MAJORED by Mark Kerr.

    Lesnar is going to turn Randy into Juicy Couture.

    - Will

    Jim Beezer







    Will,

    Couture is much smarter, more technical, and stronger (just ask him) now than when he fought Rico Rodriguez in 2002. With all due respect to Brock Lesnar, he would probably lose to Rico Rodriguez too.

    Until Kurt Angle steps into the octagon and actually fights someone, I don't really care how much tougher he thinks pro wrestling is than mixed martial arts. There is a credibility issue here. Add him to the list of prima donnas that think their success in one sport (in this case … acting profession) will carry over into success in MMA. What about Chuck Norris? Steven Seagal? Do you think either one of those guys could beat Anderson Silva or Georges St. Pierre?

    You're right … I've never heard of Paul Keysaw. But I had never heard of Mihail Ganev of Bulgaria before today. He handed three-time Olympic champion Bouvaisa Saitiev only his second career loss in 2006 at the World Championships. Do you question Saitiev's wrestling skills too?

    Randy Couture is one of only two UFC fighters to have held a championship title in two different divisions. He is also a member of the UFC Hall of Fame
    As a wrestling fan, I like to see former collegiate and world level wrestlers become successful in MMA. I think it's only a matter of time before Lesnar is included in the list of accomplished fighters with a wrestling background. But let's not start declaring him the next Randy Couture until he starts beating guys like Randy Couture. Until then, Lesnar needs to spend more time in the gym and less time worrying about what people think of him.

    Have you seen the YouTube clip of Lesnar going off on a monkey-hormone-induced rage after speculation about a possible dream fight between Randy and Fedor?

    I rest my case.

    Jim

    William Koe







    Jim --

    You have to ask yourself, who has more to lose in this fight? The answer is without question, Lesnar. If he loses this fight, he will have a disappointing 2-2 MMA record. With that record, he wouldn't be able to headline a fight card at the Myth Nightclub. His future (and partially the future of the UFC) is built on Lesnar winning this fight. He has already dabbled in pro wrestling, the NFL, and now MMA. I don't think there are many more options for beefy 270-pound guys if this doesn't work out.

    If Randy loses, he still goes out as the people's champion, because "at least he had the heart to fight when he was 40 years old." Randy is a winner, but this fight is just a payday for him. I am not suggesting that he will tank it. He won't, because I think he is a guy with a ton of integrity. But he is also a guy that is on his way out. He has a future training fighters … not being a fighter. This is a fight to pass the torch and give Randy a nice retirement bonus.

    Marty Morgan
    Now look at Marty Morgan. Do you think he would leave a good job with the University of Minnesota, where he was guaranteed to be the next head coach if he thought Lesnar was going to lose? If Marty wants to have a future coaching MMA fighters (and I think he does), Lesnar HAS to win. As a result, I am confident that Lesnar will be coming into the fight in top shape with a better grasp of the fight game then has previously shown.

    Desperate times call for desperate measures. Lesnar will do what he has to in order to win. If not, get your VCR ready to record the Brock Lesnar episode on Fox's "Beyond the Glory."

    - Will

    Jim Beezer







    Will,

    More experience: Don Zimmer or Marty Morgan?
    I knew it was just a matter of time before you explained away Lesnar's deficiencies using the "Marty Factor." Look, I respect Marty Morgan for his coaching success at the University of Minnesota … and would like nothing more than to see him replace J Robinson as the next head coach of the Gophers. But what does he know about MMA? Don Zimmer has more fighting experience than Marty Morgan (albeit against Pedro Martinez in the 2003 ALCS). The only value I see Marty adding is a few "Go get 'em's" before the match.

    You're crazy for thinking Lesnar has more to lose. Couture may be the people's champion, but he is still one of the best heavyweights in the world right now. Losing to a publicity stunt like Lesnar would be pretty embarrassing. In contrast, the reaction of MMA aficionados when Lesnar loses will be the same as their reaction when Kimbo Slice was knocked out by a nobody from nowhere (Hint: There was no surprise).

    Todd Beard, a founder of the Affliction line of clothing, suggested that the fight was set up by UFC management for Couture to lose and hand over the title to Lesnar. That's preposterous! Why would the UFC want Couture out of the fight game considering he just signed a multi-fight contract and is one of the sport's biggest draw?

    Further, I disagree that this fight is just a payday for Couture. I guarantee he expects to win, just as he expected to win as a 2-1 underdog against Vitor Belfort (1997), Chuck Liddell (2003), Tito Ortiz (2003), and Tim Sylvia (2007). Just when you think Couture has no chance of winning or is simply washed up, he finds a way to win.

    And come Saturday night, you'll be kicking yourself that you didn't bet everything you own on Couture at even money.

    Jim

    William Koe







    Jim --

    Marty Morgan grew up in a family of wrestlers who were also trained as competitive boxers. He was MMA-trained before there was such a thing. I am talking about real old school ground and pound experience. Marty is the reason Brock will win. The inexperience displayed by Lesnar in previous fights will not be on display during this fight.

    Your boy Dana White is going to score big with this fight. He really can't lose … because this fight might warrant a rematch either way. That would be the ideal situation for the UFC. We will see how it plays out, but this may be the first fight in a best out of three series.

    Don't expect Brock Lesnar to get distracted by a ring girl. After all, he's married to Sable
    At the end of all of this back and fourth, the facts remain. Lesnar is bigger, stronger, faster, and is less likely to be distracted by a sexy ring girl since he already has one at home (his wife, Sable).

    I'm heading to a friend's house for the fight that also includes poker, booze, and college football. If you show up in an Affliction shirt, you buy the pizza. I can't wait. It is going to be a great night for wrestling and MMA fans.

    I'm laying a c-note on Lesnar to end the fight by knockout in the third.

    - Will
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