Matt Hamill: I'm glad I have a trainer that won't accept that performance

by Jesse Holland on Sep 22, 2008 7:05 PM EDT Comment 32 comments

"I don't know why I didn't take him down more. That's the one thing I have been thinking about over and over. I should have taken him down more like in the first round. That was the game plan. My weapon is ground and pound...I don't follow what people say in the media, all I can say is I didn't follow the game plan that we put together. Duff wants me to perform at the level he knows I'm capable of. I'm glad I have a trainer that won't accept that performance and I respect him for speaking the truth. Duff didn't do anything wrong."

-Matt "The Hammer" Hamill responds to the comments made by his trainer Duff Holmes who vented his frustration and bewilderment regarding the gameplan that his fighter executed against Rich Franklin back at UFC 88: "Breakthrough." Hamill was finished in the third round via technical knockout after essentially going toe-to-toe with the former middleweight champion for most of the entire fight despite his superior edge in the wrestling department. And when he did attempt takedowns he could not finish them … Hamill appeared to be content just holding an ankle rather than driving Franklin into the cage or using it somehow to get "Ace" to the floor. For Holmes original comments click here.

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Coulda, woulda, shoulda..It’s too late now.

by pUniSHment on Sep 22, 2008 7:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Like crying over spilled milk. Hopefully this experience makes him utilize his weapons more. What the hell was he thinkin’, standing up with Franklin?!?

by The Negation on Sep 22, 2008 8:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

im glad he didnt switch trainers or anything, cuz duff was right on in his assessment

by brendan on Sep 22, 2008 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I do like Hammil’s approach to the public criticism made by his own trainer. It shows heart if you ask me!

by john on Sep 23, 2008 8:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

he’ll be back stronger, and at least he knows he could have did a lot better just like everyone else knows.

by Toad on Sep 22, 2008 7:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I think he knows exactly why he didn’t try to take Rich down… the same reason he really didn’t try to take Bisping or Boetsch down. Pride.

I said to the people I was watching the fight with that I wouldn’t be surprised if Matt tried to stand with Franklin. For as nice a person Matt is, you can tell he’s pretty proud of himself.

I don’t think he was afraid to hurt Rich, I think he truly thought he could stand with him. His fights with Bisping and Boetsch kind of skewed things for him. He thought his stand-up was batter than it really is. Of course he’s not going to admit that now.

Now he’s just wondering wtf he was thinking.

by Soups on Sep 22, 2008 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Soups, I agree with u and Matt’s always commenting in his pre/post fight interviews that he likes to stand and ‘bang’ to make it an exciting for the fans… Matt wasn’t smart enough to recognize that his pride was getting in the way of utilizing his Takedown’s n’ GnP… experience is going to intevene the next time he faces a good standup fighter.

by THORAZINE on Sep 22, 2008 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

AGREED!

by john on Sep 23, 2008 8:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think he proved he’s really not a top competitor! He’s a wrestler with no other real dominant skills! I really don’t like all the hype he gets strictly due to his handicap! I know, I’m heartless, but really, if he wasn’t deaf, he wouldn’t be in the UFC…he’d be fighting Drew Fickett!!!

by kevin doesn't know shit on Sep 22, 2008 7:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Kevin, he tried to do somthing that he isn’t that great at like stand up fighting, you can’t say he’s hype, it was a mistake, Just think if franklin would have only went for takedowns and tried to wrestle hammil, we would have got manhandled. Yes he’s not well-rounded like GSP,Pen,Or Silva, but many people arn’t. He’s young to the sport and is still learning.

by Chase on Sep 22, 2008 7:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

does that mean everyone he beat dosn’t belong in the ufc?

by roy on Sep 22, 2008 7:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That was gonna be my point

by DBG on Sep 22, 2008 8:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

BAd KEvin, baaadd…Hehe!!

by The Negation on Sep 22, 2008 8:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well he’s not as one dimensional as other wrestlers fighting MMA. He’s improving, but Rich Franklin’s in a totally different league than Hamill. In my eyes(and many others) he beat Bisping, and Bisping ain’t to shabby as a fighter, granted 205 wasn’t his natural weightclass. Matt’s handicapsure isn’t hurting his hype as a romodel, but regardless he has what it takes to be in the UFC.

by pUniSHment on Sep 22, 2008 8:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kevin
“but really, if he wasn’t deaf, he wouldn’t be in the UFC” ?

Please enlighten us further on that intriguing comment.

by THORAZINE on Sep 22, 2008 8:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Disagree. He’s a good fighter and guess what, being a compelling story results in ratings, buys, and money. Isn’t that part of the game?

He’s a gifted enough athlete that if he plays to his strengths he can be a competitive guy in the weight class. Contender? Probably not but I still like to watch him fight and want him to win.

by BobC on Sep 22, 2008 8:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

DISNEYLAND!

by Macho Bullshit on Sep 22, 2008 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Really explain Beating Tim

by DBG on Sep 22, 2008 8:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kevin: We don’t agree to often, but I HATE all the unwarranted attention he gets for being handicapped! I dont care if you are deaf, blind, dumb or even retarded, as LONG as you can put on an entertaining fight, I will root for you. I really do not EVER look forward to seeing a matt hammil fight, so yes all the HYPE is BS!

by john on Sep 23, 2008 8:13 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Its pretty difficult when you cannot hear your corner, I’d say thats a major disadvantage. The guy has worked incredibly hard and comes prepared to his fights. This guy deserves to be in the UFC more than a lot of fighters that are getting easier fights yet getting more exposure. Hamill took a major step up in competition against Franklin and lost but he definetly won my respect. He is exciting because he likes to stand and bang although his skills are in his ground game. It makes me happy because I know he’s not just sitting back relying on his main skills, he’s progressing his weaker ones. Give the guy a break he belongs here.

by Cogito Ergo Sum on Sep 23, 2008 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with that as well, he has never impressed me at all. If he were a top contender that would have been a good fight but Rich basiclly just beat him up.

by Spyder on Sep 23, 2008 10:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m a Franklin fan but I do think that Hamill could have possibly beaten him if he would have not chose to try and stand with him most of the fight and as long as he was in good enough shape to go three full rounds. i figured the fight would have went with Hamill dominating the first round and then Franklin picking him apart in the last 2 rounds because he usually gasses and gets tired and then Franklin would have won a decision. Oh well, I’m still glad to see Franklin get a win and Hamill will be back. Did anyone see Hamill’s woman? Dang, she is hot!!!

by brac on Sep 22, 2008 7:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m not a franklin fan, and think if they fight 10 times, hammill might get a decision win once!

by kevin doesn't know shit on Sep 22, 2008 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That fight looked more like a sparring session. I respect both fighters but I think they had too much respect for each other especially at the fact that they are friends and old training partners.
Matt Hamill helped Rich with wrestling and Rich helped Matt get into the UFC.

Both classy fighters but they didn’t seem to have that killer instinct that they normally have when they fight.

by Skelow on Sep 22, 2008 7:24 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

quit being a bxtch and destroy your friend (franklin)…

by it.dont.stop on Sep 22, 2008 7:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Matt did go for takedowns. He just couldn’t finish them. Rich is a much better fighter and didn’t make it easy for Hamill to set up takedowns. Taking fighters down freestyle is on its way out, anyway. Most fighters, once they get some sprawl training, can avoid most single-leg and double-leg takedowns. Bodylocks and judo throws are more reliable for takedowns.

Hamill is slower than many other wrestlers and telegraphs just about everything he attempts. This was just not a good matchup for him at this time.

by Fred on Sep 22, 2008 8:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Fred, I’m not sure what u meant by ‘freestyle’ but a simple double or single will never be on it’s way out… it just has too be in the timing like anything else in MMA… GSP, Couture and quite a few others use it with workman like precision.