Evans-Liddell A Precursor To Lesnar-Couture?

No one escapes Father Time.

Eventually every athlete in every sport wakes up to the reality that their body is no l longer able to keep up. In baseball, it might be a few miles an hour off your fastball. In basketball, it might be not being able to score as consistently. In combat sports, it can mean getting knocked cold from a punch you saw coming and couldn't get out of the way of.

You see as I sit on my couch watching Brett Farve throw touchdown passes I'm forced to think of how different declining speed and reflexes can affect pro athletes. I remember watching when Roy Jones lost his first fight and it was eerily reminiscent of what happened last night with Liddell. He got hit with a punch he may have saw coming and couldn't get out of the way of. He was just a half a second late on his own punch.

Last night, early in the first round, the writing was on the wall. While their was no doubt that Greg Jackson prescribed a great gameplan to beat Chuck, it was Father Time who did most of the work. As Rashad danced and feinted and danced and feinted, I knew it would be a long night for Chuck. Even as the boos rang out from the crowd, Chuck was barely missing punch after punch. Rashad's confidence was growing as he found out Chuck couldn't catch up to him.

Coming out to start the second, Rashad danced and looked to make Chuck chase him, while flurrying with quicker hands during the exchanges. This same kinda gameplan would have got him a nice nap on the canvas of the octagon a few years back. Chuck couldn't  deal with the speed and that overhand right ended his latest, and most likely last title bid. He was beat by a similar fighter stylistically, who had youth on his side.

Randy Couture faces a similar dilemma at UFC 91. Similar to Chuck he is the betting favorite, and the pick to win by most experts. Similar to Chuck he fighting a guy with the same base for MMA as he does. He is also facing a guy that will have a sizable advantage in speed, power, and reflexes.

The difference is that the natural decline of reflexes due to age doesn't have to same affect on wrestlers as it does on strikers. I doubt being 45 will have much affect on Randy's Greco/clinchfighting style. The effects that will show however will be in the standup, and in his reaction time to Brock's shots for takedowns.

The best gameplan Randy could utilize would be to try to keep this fight on the ground, and work for a submission. This would nuetrilize some of the physical advantages Brock will have due to his age, size, strength, and speed. Also the longer this fight goes the better chance Randy will have to catch Brock if Brock is unable to go full speed for five full rounds.

For Brock to pull of a upset special ala Rashad Evans, he should look to stand with Randy, and use his extremely quick and powerful hands and not be tempted to go to the ground early with Randy. He should keep the fight standing as long as possible, and only follow Randy to the ground if he has him hurt and looks to finish via ground n pound. He should avoid the clinch as much as possible, and avoid the temptation to simply try to shoot in for a takedown and control Randy for five rounds.

Father Time has called Liddell to let him know his time has passed, but Randy has been given an even longer hourglass. On Nov 15, will the sand finally run out on Couture as well?