The MMA Twitter mailbag is all about Strikeforce, as fans are getting excited about Saturday night's Gina Carano vs. Cristiane "Cris Cyborg" Santos fight, and weighing in on whether Strikeforce's new heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, will fight Top 10 opponents now that he has declined the opportunity to fight in the UFC.Your questions and my answers for our MMA Twitter mailbag are below.
OrangeChuck: Ask Gina if she thinks she can make Cyborg tap or does she think this one will come down to the judges?
ESpencerKyte: She hasn't finished a fight in a while, so I say ask her if she can finish Cyborg and why she thinks she can if yes.
I interviewed Carano for a piece that will run at FanHouse on Wednesday, and these were among a number of suggested questions I got for her. I think this fight, one way or another, is going to end by technical knockout. Keep in mind that neither Carano nor Cyborg has ever fought for more than nine minutes. This fight is scheduled for 25 minutes. All that extra time gives both fighters more opportunities to finish the fight, and I don't think it'll go the distance.
Jy_3: Is she scared of Cyborg's power and brute force? Because Cyborg is scary.. really.. thanks :)
I asked Carano if she'll be feeling any fear as she walks into the cage, and she said she won't be feeling any fear, just focus. I think most fighters probably feel a little bit of fear before big fights, but in all the interviews I've done, the only fighter who has ever admitted to feeling fear was Patrick Cote, who told me before he fought Anderson Silva that he was, in fact, afraid. Cote told me, by the way, that he thinks fear is a healthy motivator.
mmahotstuff: My question is: What are the ramifications, if any, for Nick Diaz not getting licensed? Thx-
We don't know yet what the ramifications will be, but they should be substantial. I don't have a problem with Diaz using medical marijuana that has been prescribed to him legally by a doctor in California, but I do have a problem with him flouting the rules of the California State Athletic Commission. Diaz has already failed a previous drug test, he has openly talked about the techniques he uses to beat drug tests, and now his fight Saturday night has been scrapped because he didn't show up for a scheduled drug test. I think the California State Athletic Commission and Strikeforce should fine him a significant portion of his purse the next time he fights.
mmHg_: How do you put Fedor at the very top when his fights against top 10 HW *while* they're top 10 are so infrequent?
I don't think you can say Fedor's fights against Top 10 opponents are infrequent, since Andrei Arlovski was universally regarded as a Top 5 heavyweight when Fedor beat him in January, and since Fedor is likely to fight a Top 10 hevyweight like Alistair Overeem or Brett Rogers in October.
I do think you can say, though, that Fedor's fights against Top 10 opponents are likely to become infrequent. If they do, I'd definitely consider dropping him below Anderson Silva, Georges St Pierre or Lyoto Machida.
Want to be part of our next MMA Twitter mailbag? Post a question or comment on Twitter.com, and be sure to start it with @MichaelDavSmith.
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