Kenny Florian: Diego Sanchez 'never looked great' in the lightweight division
by James Kimball on Jan 23, 2010 8:38 PM EST
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Quoteworthy:
"You know, I pretty much predicted that [Diego returning to welterweight]. The skill level at 155lbs is the best in the UFC, if you look across the board, in terms of well-rounded fighters. You are not going to come in to the UFC 155 division and start finishing guys right away. People see me doing it and what do they think I'm doing, just lying around not training? I train my ass off every single day to be able to do that and it's not an easy thing to be able to finish guys at 155. That's something I really pride myself on. The only guys, I think, at 155 that are consistently finishing people are me and BJ Penn. I think that takes a special skill to be able to do that. Not everybody can do that, I don't promise to be able to do that all the time but that's the way I fight and that's the way I train to fight. Diego thought he was going to be able to go out there and just smash people at 155. Not going to happen, Diego. The skill level is too good out there. You have to be very, very well rounded. He thought what he was able to do at 170, he was going to do even better at 155 and that's just not the case. It just shows me the talent that is out there at 155. In my opinion, Diego just never looked great at 155."
UFC lightweight top contender Kenny Florian figures that Diego Sanchez's return to the welterweight division is probably for the best. Sanchez performed well at 170 compiling a 7-2 record before dropping down to lightweight where he went 2-0 before essentially getting kicked out of the division by lightweight kingpin BJ Penn.
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I agree to an extent...but he never looked great in the WW division either
Its a mistake for Diego to go back to 170…he may as well just say he’s giving up on getting a title…stay at 155, keep going and wait till BJ retires or goes back to WW
Fedor was originally cast as the main character in 24, but was replaced by the producers when he managed to kill every terrorist and save the day in 12 minutes and 37 seconds
Maybe he can't fight at 155
Some people don’t do well cutting all that weight. And now with GSP possibly moving to middleweight I think Diego has a good shot to get a title. But I understand what you’re saying, it’s like people who drop weight from the middleweight division cause they can’t beat Anderon Silva.
I disagree with Kenny
He was top 3 in the UFC 155 division… maybe top 2
by PHISH NATION on Jan 23, 2010 6:24 PM EST up reply actions
You mean #2 contender, right?
I mean he’s never done anything in the LW division to put himself ahead of Florian. The same two guys that Diego won a decision against to get the title shot (Guida and Stevenson), Florian finished.
Diego hasn't beaten a single top 5 LW
How can he possibly be top 2???? Rankings aren’t simply decided by who you think a guy can beat. He actually needs to beat them. I think the Kenny today would route him then quick transition to an RNC. Diego finally is realizing that he’s hit the ceiling in terms of how far relentlessness, high pace and a 5 rd gas tank can take him. You can to bring more nowadays to a fight especially at LW since nearly everyone has those things. Diego needs to develop his striking (like a fucking lot, only a complete novice would throw 1-2 left high kick combos over and over against BJ for 5 rds) and work his wrestling (not feverishly humping someone onto the cage until they tire then take them down.) Then he might get back to top 5 at WW.
by NNR (formerly NameNotRequired) on Jan 23, 2010 9:48 PM EST up reply actions
I said Before the BJ FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
well untill kenny beats Diego he can shut the frack up. i really don’t care for either one but i think Diego beats kenny again. But ohwell who cares im a Penn fan lol.
Don't u get it?
Diego is moving up, not only because of BJ, but because he see’s what Florian is doing at !55lbs and what he wasn’t able to do to the same guys Florian fought.
Who would be Kenny's or Diego's next big fight?
At 155lbs it’s got to be Florian VS Sanchez…. why wouldn’t he stay at 155lbs to fight Florian? that’s a fight we want to see and he should take… After all the talking he was doing about how he beat Florian I like the fact that Florian is talking about Sanchez going back to 170lbs.
because he is a better fighter at 170 that’s why, Diego performs his best at that weight, he knows it and i know it.
Kenny Florian moving up to fight Diego at 170 is the same thing as Diego moving down to 155 fighting and i can assure you Diego would have no problem beating Florian at ww.
fresh like uhh.
u make a gud point Roberto
Soooo’ lets see a CATCHWEIGHT fight at 162.5 LBS… I WANNA SEE IT!
Diego deserved a high ranking because he was a fight away from a WW title shot when he made the move down, then beat 2 arguably top 10 guys
However, he hasn’t done much at LW and if you ignore his WW accomplishments then he’s barely top 5 at the weight class. He has a lot of things to improve if he’s going to beat the elite, his wrestling hasn’t improved much and his striking just average, he can beat people that can’t strike (Joe Daddy, Guida) but is picked apart by superior strikers. Really he needs to put the weight back on properly as he was too skinny at 155 and lost his power, then he needs to go to a proper camp and train with people who’ll test him and help him improve his skills. If he doesn’t do that then he’ll never get any better than he is today and other LWs and WWs will surpass his skills.
"Wanderlei is focused and well trained...he will easily win this fight, by a large margin and with much better technique."
Anderson Silva on why Wand is going to smash Bisping. Get ready to lose your dignity frosnt.
Rankings are decided by who we think a guy can beat!
Sorry NNR. All rankings are based on opinions. At least the rankings we are talking about. Brock is number 2. And he hasn’t beaten anybody. All ranking systems that would rank Diego number 2 are based on experts opinions.
martial arts is about technique over size and strength. While strength and speed are great, technique will always overcome it.-FuckerDave 01/19/10
There is a reason for brock
Brock has a very convincing win over Mir who was #2 at the time due to his win over Big Nog who himself has been #2 for nearly 5 years. Additionally prior to that he achieved his #3 or #4 ranking by defeating old man paycheck who was a title holder. Yes he sucks but he had two solid wins over top 10 opposition which is more than enough for his ranking. Prior to getting there, his win over Herring put him in the top 20 range for HWs maybe even top 15 due to how barren the division was. No mma math here, Brock defeated two ranked fighters. Otherwise if it was opinion why does no one in the world rank him as #1 since i’ve seen more than a fair share of people who think he’s invincible. If he keeps on fighting top 5-10 opposition and Fedor stops then after a while i would have no problem ranking him as #1. I don’t think that will happen but you get the point.
With Diego he beat 1 top 15 fighter and 1 top 20 fighter (both in a non dominant fashion) and all of a sudden he’s the 2nd best LW? You think he would stand a chance against Alvarez?Kawajiri?Sherk?Melendez?Kenflo? Hell no!!!
by NNR (formerly NameNotRequired) on Jan 24, 2010 12:04 PM EST up reply actions
Melendez, Sherk, Kenflo?
Hell yes. He stands a good chance against all of them. He would be a heavy favorite against Sherk and Gilbert for sure.
martial arts is about technique over size and strength. While strength and speed are great, technique will always overcome it.-FuckerDave 01/19/10
Damn john, where have you been? I rarely see you post anymore.
Granted i don’t post as much either but the betting bottomline is suffering without you and guys like VM to discuss parlays with.
by NNR (formerly NameNotRequired) on Jan 24, 2010 3:41 PM EST up reply actions
Yup
Said Everything I needed to, if you look at who Diego’s fought compared to Kenny, and how the results have panned out, Kennys done better. Kenny is a better fighter. Id love to see these two fight though
by theworldismine on Jan 24, 2010 3:43 PM EST up reply actions
He beat Kenny...
a LONG time ago. Every LW fighter they both fought Kenny did a better job against. Kenny would probably beat Diego now. Would like to see that rematch but Diego’s already back up to WW.
It's not a mistake.
His style gets better the heavier he is. 155 is where the small guys fight, Diego just doesn’t fit in there.
fresh like uhh.
i agree with rob
he still has to adjust at fighting in the small guy circle..where everyone else in that circle already fights like small guys..he has to learn to be a 155er.
"i only want to be known as the best ever, is that too much to ask?" - BJ Penn.
Ugh that Gash ftl
I understand what Kenny is saying but when someone talks like that (ex Mir) they come off as a pompus asshole. Still, can’t wait for kenny and diego to fight again in theor repective divisions.
Yeah what he was doing was worse!
did you see that clown?
"yes circles"
For those who missed the countdown show for the Penn fight (disaster)…
He would do cartwheels and after each one he would say “YES!”. The did like five in a row. is was some motivational technique of his.
So I agree with JRE…that’s worse than a contender yelling that he wants the champs belt…in fact isn’t a contender supposed to do that?
"Records mean nothing when ranking a fighter" by jay. on Jan 9, 2010 12:57 PM PST
Really? Wins and losses don't matter? What is the measure of success in sports?
Kenny only said it once
Then they replayed the shit out of it.
The weather is here, I wish you were beautiful
I loved it at the time, shame that the UFC ruined it by overplaying it
"Wanderlei is focused and well trained...he will easily win this fight, by a large margin and with much better technique."
Anderson Silva on why Wand is going to smash Bisping. Get ready to lose your dignity frosnt.
I’d like Diego to stay at 155 and kick kennys ass again, and then maybe go back up.
by vinrex7 on Jan 23, 2010 4:50 PM EST via mobile reply actions
let the guys fight for real at their real weight and Diego beats him with ease. LHW is without a doubt where the best guys fight and the best fighters/athletes are.
fresh like uhh.
What do you mean??
What real weight? How could Diego beat him with ease if they’re fighting at their “Real weight” when that would put them in totally different weight classes.
I think thats what he means
to fight without weight classes like the vintage ufc.
Vintage UFC
Give me a break. We’re talking about modern UFC. And Kenny is way better at 155 and Diego is better off at 170. So why are we talking about fighting without weight classes?
I know! Let’s get them to have a street fight and see what happens!
Kimbo Sanchez vs Ryu Florian!!!
If he’s so much more skilled than Diego and guys in the other divisions he should try to move up to ww.
fresh like uhh.
True
I would agree that he should stop trying to be a badass. It is kind of funny that Florian says this stuff AFTER Diego moves back up to 170 and out of Kenflo’s weight class…
I don’t think he would move up to WW.
WTF is Kenny so arrogant about?
Diego got beat the hell up by BJ, but Kenny got subbed. IMO Diego going 5 rounds (almost) is a lot more imressive than Kenny going 4.
I say make the fight Joe, and let’s see what would happen. I’d put money on Diego in that one.
Agreed 100%.
Friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of duty. Only enemies speak the truth.
-Stephen King
two things
1. this is why Diego and kenny need to fight again lol
2.. and this is why im not a fan of kenny
+1
Diego is a piece of shit! Just look at their three same opponents at LW. Both were destroyed by Penn but Florian actually finished off Guida and Stevenson while Diego had to sweat out the decisions.
Kenny finishes fights at 155
There is no way Diego could finish Kenny at 155 because Kenny finishes fights at 155. Kenny has made it known that he finishes fights at 155 and he is going to continue to finish fights at 155. Kenny has shown everybody that he can finish fights at 155 and he is going to finish all of his fights a 155. Kenny works his ass off to finish fights at 155 and it is no easy task to finish fights at 155. Not very many people have the ability to finish fights at 155 but Kenny definitely has the ability to finish fights at 155.
To be fair Kenny's right
Most top LWs don’t finish fights, Diego never did and Sherk, Maynard, Guida and Tyson are notorious for usually going to decisions and Frankie never seems to finish anyone either. Jim Miller can finish the lesser fighters in the weight class but will struggle against the bigger and better guys. Other than BJ and a prime Gomi, Kenny is the only LW who finishes top opposition regularly.
"Wanderlei is focused and well trained...he will easily win this fight, by a large margin and with much better technique."
Anderson Silva on why Wand is going to smash Bisping. Get ready to lose your dignity frosnt.
+1
Although I loved leerage’s posting.
"Records mean nothing when ranking a fighter" by jay. on Jan 9, 2010 12:57 PM PST
Really? Wins and losses don't matter? What is the measure of success in sports?
Is it just me or can anyone else see what looks like a face in the bottom left hand corner....
on the portion of Bj’s body?? Like a tiny face with a huge fore-head,or else this batch of weed is stronger than usual.
Tito Ortiz: I think Chuck's lost a step, maybe i've lost a step also, but that's what makes the fight so exciting!
That'll be all that's left of Chael Sonnen once Soares tells Andy what he's been saying about him on the radio
That is unless Fedor gets to Sonnen first.
"Wanderlei is focused and well trained...he will easily win this fight, by a large margin and with much better technique."
Anderson Silva on why Wand is going to smash Bisping. Get ready to lose your dignity frosnt.
Looking eastward,,,
Tito Ortiz: I think Chuck's lost a step, maybe i've lost a step also, but that's what makes the fight so exciting!
The more I look at it, the more I see it...lol
Tito Ortiz: I think Chuck's lost a step, maybe i've lost a step also, but that's what makes the fight so exciting!
Kenny hasn't fought the best
I like Florian but he talks like he cleaned out the division but he hasn’t fought the top guys in the division. Edgar, Maynard, Griffin or even Jim Miller…these are the top guys and Kenny got two title shots without fighting any of them. And the two top guys(Sherk and BJ) he did fight…he got demolished. He’s a good fighter but he has to fight all of these guys before he gets anywhere near another title shot IMO.
I wanted a rematch with these two first.
sucks it won’t happen tho. i think Diego has pretty much given up on all title hopes when he moves back.
I do a lot of jacking off, ya know, because I don’t get no women, so these arms are, like, humongously big. See it’s workout, and it’s pleasure.._" Charles Bennett
"He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day and looks like a ***** today." -Tank Abbott.
I agree
I don’t think Diego ever really deserved a shot at BJ to begin with and I think Kenny has improved much more than Diego and would beat him in a rematch especially at 155. I think Diego has too much pride and arrogance. As soon as he loses he changes weigh classes.
by Swedish Chef smerdy herdy verdy on Jan 23, 2010 6:02 PM EST up reply actions
see that ain’t it, he wanted to fight for a title and he got too. He was never going to change weightclass at first until the UFC told him too, because they wanted someone to step up and fight BJ.
fresh like uhh.
shit ill cut 10 pounds to fight bj
i can’t exactly do any worse then the last couple of challengers. mind u i think id remember writing this or even this site if i was to ever fight penn
I do a lot of jacking off, ya know, because I don’t get no women, so these arms are, like, humongously big. See it’s workout, and it’s pleasure.._" Charles Bennett
"He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day and looks like a ***** today." -Tank Abbott.
ur right, i really could do much worse.
prob. be the first person to lose a fight on his way to the cage
I do a lot of jacking off, ya know, because I don’t get no women, so these arms are, like, humongously big. See it’s workout, and it’s pleasure.._" Charles Bennett
"He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day and looks like a ***** today." -Tank Abbott.
What about that Nakao guy that Herring KO'd before the fight started?
"Wanderlei is focused and well trained...he will easily win this fight, by a large margin and with much better technique."
Anderson Silva on why Wand is going to smash Bisping. Get ready to lose your dignity frosnt.
At least Kenny and Diego took BJ into the championship rounds
Imagine what he’s going to do to Edgar nevermind what he’d do to a fan.
"Wanderlei is focused and well trained...he will easily win this fight, by a large margin and with much better technique."
Anderson Silva on why Wand is going to smash Bisping. Get ready to lose your dignity frosnt.
it would motivate me to stay
I do a lot of jacking off, ya know, because I don’t get no women, so these arms are, like, humongously big. See it’s workout, and it’s pleasure.._" Charles Bennett
"He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day and looks like a ***** today." -Tank Abbott.
I like KenFlo, but this is silliness...
… coming from him. He’s just tooting his own horn. On and on about how he finishes fights. Even if it’s true (and he’s pretty much dead on), the way he comes off here annoys me.
Truth is, Diego gave up too much natural power at 155. He gave up significant muscle mass and overall “heft.”
honestly diego has heart stamina and hes a fairly good athlete
but lets be real here he wasnt even top 5 in the ww division possibly not even top ten. he was suspended for using steroids against joe riggs then he lost to koscheck, lost to fitch, and beat two relatively no name fighters. he then moves down to 155 and beats joe stevenson(joe’s 3rd loss in a row at the time)and clay guida(inconsistent) so please somebody tell me how he is better than kenny when kenny has been steadily refining his game since he lost to diego at 185 way back when.
by hitemwiturgroin on Jan 24, 2010 12:54 AM EST reply actions
he
was never suspended for steroids. check your facts brotha
Wasn't Riggs the druggie? Diego's never been suspended
Diego was a top 10 WW at least when he made the drop down, he was supposed to fight Alves for the next title shot before getting injured and replaced by Kos 2 weeks before the fight. Being a top WW contender and winning against 2 good LWs put him right near the top of the rankings in my opinion.
"Wanderlei is focused and well trained...he will easily win this fight, by a large margin and with much better technique."
Anderson Silva on why Wand is going to smash Bisping. Get ready to lose your dignity frosnt.
Deigo just seems better suited for 170.
That’s not a knock. He wasn’t really able to overwelm Joe Stevenson like he did must of his ww opponents. And he wasn’t able to finish Guida once he had him rocked. I think Diego will eventually be a top 7 ww.
I think he’s got a better chance at being a Top 5 fighter in the LW Division than he does at WW.
Fitch and Koscheck have already beat him at WW, and would do so again IMO.
I also think Alves would beat him, and of course GSP would aswell.
Knowing Diego’s style, he probably come out swining the way he did against BJ and Guida against guys like Hardy and Daley, and I think he’d pay for it.
I don’t see him being much of a force at WW. Sure he was destroying guys a couple of years ago, but compared to the level of fighters in that Division now, it was fairly weak.
But....
the Fitch and Koscheck fights were both decisions. Meaning, with a little fine tuning he may be able to get a win.
Agreed, plus the Fitch one was a close call and he had a severe staph infection that almost ended his career when he lost to Kos
Diego’s still got a lot of potential to be a force at WW, albeit he won’t ever be the champion. It all depends on how he comes back from the most devastating loss of his career, some guys become world class after a big defeat (GSP) others completely fall apart and are never the same again (Loiseau), it all depends on what Diego does next.
"Wanderlei is focused and well trained...he will easily win this fight, by a large margin and with much better technique."
Anderson Silva on why Wand is going to smash Bisping. Get ready to lose your dignity frosnt.
Very True Arlovskang
Deigo is a top 5 for sure at LW. But at WW its hard for him to make the top 10.
weight cutting had nothing to do with that dismantling BJ doled out to Diego. No amount of “yes” cartwheels nor positivity mental prep nor not cutting weight would have changed that. I legitimately believe Diego could have come in at the welterweight limit and BJ would have destroyed him in similar fashion. it was skill set that determined that fight. pure and simple. as for Kenflo’s assessment, i agree with it in part. Guys like Maynard and Edgar and Sherk have been decision machines as of late. Nate managed to pull out some late submissions but a finish is a finish. Miller as well, has gotten stoppages over lower rate LW’s….but is a grinder against better competition.
Gatti. Dekkers. Pele. Aoki. Kang. Vanderlei. Basillio. Harry Greb.
by theworldsoldestsport on Jan 24, 2010 1:21 PM EST reply actions
which is odd when u look at just 10 lbs down in the WEC, those fights are at a torrid pace.
Gatti. Dekkers. Pele. Aoki. Kang. Vanderlei. Basillio. Harry Greb.
by theworldsoldestsport on Jan 24, 2010 1:21 PM EST reply actions
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