Mac Danzig out at UFC 131, Donald Cerrone‎ now fights my BJJ instructor

[dogboy]

Danzig got hurt and Vagner Rocha (my friend and an instructor) got the nod to step into the cage against the Cowboy this weekend! Cerrone is a serious dude but they discounting Vagner way too much... in fact, Vagner is +300 (if you bet $100, you get $300 back) at bodog right now. Guys, I'm telling you: bet on Vagner. I have never bet on ANYTHING, ever, but these odds are too good to pass up.  

Just a few notes...

- Vagner is always one of the top 3 jiu-jitsu fighters in the world in his weight class, and his no-gi game is better than his gi.
- The only time Vagner lost in MMA, he was sick with a bad fever but didnt want to miss the opportunity to fight in Strikeforce. He lost by close decision.
- Most of Vagner's fights end in a first round submission. Punches, lock, takedown, punches, submission.
- Cerrone really has more of a striking background, but 3/4 of his wins were by submission... but his ground game isn't even close to Vagner's.

If I had to guess, Vagner will surprise everyone by looking like he wants to stand and bang with this guy.... because, everyone expects him to shoot, and the Cowboy likes to stand toe to toe and win 'fight of the night'... but then Vagner will shoot, take him down, pass his guard, and finish him.

Just like that.  You can bet on it:)

[dogboy]

I just put $640 down to win $2080 at bodog. Vagner is now +325.

If I win, I buy everyone in here a drink:)

[jetboy]

Good luck to you both. Cerrone's a hell of a fighter though. Sounds like it should be an entertaining match-up either way.

[dogboy]

Normally, I would definitely bet on Cowboy.  He is very tough, imo... but I'm ~ 70% absolutely sure Vagner will win... but it is a fight (and a good one at that) so anything can happen.  

I think it will end in a take down, Vagner will end up on top, know exactly what to do to blast through his guard (because he already picked it apart on video) and then he'll pass, and end up on Cowboy's back somehow. It's going to be a clinic.....

I hope:)

Here are some other things I know:
- every time I've heard, "well he'll have to get me down, first" about a serious jiu-jitsu fighter, the guy who said that, lost decidedly.
- Vagner's nickname is 'Cera'... meaning 'big head' (in reference to the people from a certain region of Brazil where all the people have big heads) and whether that has anything to do with it, or not, he has a very good jaw.
- Before Vagner opened his own gym, he was a carpenter, so he is strong like that
- he has a BIG mean right hand.

... I don't know:) I was Vagner's student for a year, when he first opened his gym.  I actually got my blue belt under him but we did the ceremony at Pablo's gym, because I had trained more than a year there before switching over to his place until he had some upper belts of his own to help out.  So, I've rolled with him myself and know how many times he can tap me in 5 minutes, and it's ridiculous.  He is a monster.  

[dogboy]

with his wife and kid at my place:

[dogboy]

haahahah I can't scale it down, I already tried:)  But that is hotlinked directly to the UFC.com's website and I'm really happy for him to get this far.  He's worked very hard.

[dogboy]

UFC Preview Video of the matchup:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1C3BnnOoU8&feature=player_embedded
...I just finished watching the weigh-ins too. 

You know, the guys at our gyms are starting to go crazy  I love that feeling:)  Every time there is a big tournament, where we all go as a team, or our blackbelts fight, the collective feeling ramps up until the point I think it would be palpable to the people off the street if they checked in on us. While we are still a BJJ gym, getting the opportunity to fight MMA in the UFC is really a life achievement for Vagner.  I pray he makes the most of it and comes back safe.

I'm already wearing my Vagner Rocha t-shirt in anticipation:)

[dogboy]

Vagner lost by decision, and the only 'clinic' he gave was a kickboxing clinic on how to get your leg kicked:( that's all that really happened. Cerrone just kicked his leg until vagner could barely walk. It was an effective strategy to keep things standing.

Vagner's standup needs some improving, but when they started grappling he looked very dangerous. But Cerrone had a great take down defense, so vagner only got the guy to the ground once(?) and then he escaped and got back up to his feet quick.

Ah well...

[grnidone]

I know this is an old thread, but I have to know:

- Vagner is always one of the top 3 jiu-jitsu fighters in the world in his weight class, and his no-gi game is better than his gi.

What does that mean?

[dogboy]

That's exactly correct:)


Our gi's look like karate suits but they are very tough, for grappling.