UFC On Versus Preview: Can James Irvin Overcome Near 2 Year Layoff?
by Kelvin Hunt on Mar 17, 2010 12:00 PM EDT
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The last time we saw James Irvin(14-5-1) in the octagon, he had just been destroyed by arguably the best fighter on the planet in Anderson Silva. Not only did he get knocked out, but he tested positive for banned substances and got suspended. However, once he got ready to make his return as a middleweight at UFC 98, he suffered a torn meniscus and had to back out of the fight. He suffered the same injury again as he was preparing for a bout at UFC 102. So essentially injuries have taken their toll on James Irvin.
Alessio Sakara(14-7-1) is a fighter that I used to question how in the world he was still in the UFC. However, he has quietly won 2 fights in a row with the last fight being a split decision win over Thales Leites at UFC 101 last August. I suppose one reason he's still in the UFC is because he rarely goes to a decision. Joe Rogan loves to point out that Sakara is a professional boxer as well.
Neither fighter is close to title contention and both fighters have KO power and that's one of the main reasons this fight is on the televised card in my opinion. It'll be Sakara's boxing prowess against the muay thai of James Irvin. one of the main factors will be the long layoff that Irvin has had to endure since the last time he fought. I think that'll be a factor in this fight. It should be exciting while it last though. Who you rolling with?
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James Irvin ~= Sam Worthington
These guys could be brothers. Watching Terminator and Avatar I was trying to figure out why this actor looks familiar. Then it hit me, oh yeah, he’s a mixed martial artist.
Am I off?
"There's nothing cool about taking punishment" - Floyd Mayweather Jr.
not bad... yet, not nearly as uncanny as
Gabriel “Napao” Gonzaga<
Man-Bear-Pig
"No, no- we've got to sacrifice the whole virgin thing. Instead we hand out rubbers that say 'We Salute George Michael' " ~ Gob Bluth
by RearNakedPoke on Mar 17, 2010 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
lol
It’s half man half bear and half pig!
by Erich Vowell on Mar 17, 2010 12:44 PM EDT up reply actions
fighters who have not fought for a long time do not have a good track record.
just look at horodezki who got crushed and tito vs forrest. i think the sandman will be going to sleep but i’m definitely not impressed by sakara.
I'm all about covering the spread and moneylines. I was building a house, I don't deserve this, deserves have nothing to do with it. Bang. "Unforgiven" I drink your milkshake. I drink it up! "There Will BE Blood"
by wolfmanshowlforever on Mar 17, 2010 2:33 PM EDT reply actions
Normally I'd say Irvin is at a big disadvantage
But Sakara has an awful chin, despite being touted as a boxer. All Irvin needs to do is connect.. but that’s got to happen before HE goes down!
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Sakara got absolutley dominated by Houston Alexander
I’m leaning twards Irvin in this one,lay off,drug abuse,injuries and all.For all his problems,the guy is still an extremely fast,extremely powerful striker.If he hits Sakara,he will knock him out.
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![Dana White states that if James Irvin stays with the UFc it will not be at middleweight.
"No more 185(-pound fights) for him," White told MMAjunkie.com. "He didn't look good. I think he's got a lot of scar tissue in his face under his eyes. That was sticking out more than his eyeballs were. He didn't look good [at weigh-ins]."
"I'm a huge James Irvin fan," he said after the fight. "I'm a fan of the guy; I really am. He's had some of the best knockouts in the UFC, and he always comes to fight. Tonight, it looked like the cut killed him. He couldn't get off. He couldn't throw any punches tonight. He was basically getting lit up by Sakara, and that's not James Irvin. That's not who he is as a fighter. The 185 cut is too hard for him."](http://cdn3.sbnation.com/fan_shot_images/106315/14iekis_small.jpg)
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