“Babalu” vs. Sokoudjou Slated For Affliction “Day of Reckoning”
Renato Babalu Sobral
A light heavyweight bout featuring UFC veterans Renato “Babalu” Sobral and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou has been added to the official lineup for Affliction “Day of Reckoning”, which takes place on January 24th in Anaheim, California and is headlined by Fedor Emelianenko vs. Andrei Arlovski.
Sobral was cut by the UFC in mid-2007 for refusing to release a fight-ending submission of David Heath. Since leaving the promotion, “Babalu” has won three-straight fights including a unanimous decision victory over Mike Whitehead at Affliction’s debut event in July and a November first-round TKO of Bobby Southworth to claim the Strikeforce light heavyweight title.
Sokoudjou was released by the UFC in late-November following his loss to Luiz Cane at UFC 89 in October, which dropped his UFC record to just 1-2. Prior to joining the UFC he had compiled a 4-1 mark, including knockouts of Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona in PRIDE.
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Hi Justin.
I pick Sokoudjou to win if it ends in the first two minutes, Babalu if it goes beyond that.
I would have to go with Sokoudjou on this one. A little bias over team quest team!
Babalu tends to struggle against really aggressive strikers, so I can see Theiry pulling off a win in this one, but if I was a betting man i’d say Babalu by submission. probably arbar at about 4min R1. Sok has just about the worst guard at 205 next to Houston Alexander.
What are you guys smoking? Bobalu is the way better fighter here, my god it’s not even close. He is on fire since being released by the UFC. This is a walk in the park for him.
You guys better start sharing.
maybe thats because there is less competition? Honestly who brags about a TKO victory due to a cut over bobby southworth?
Babalu is a far better and complete fighter definately, Soku well he has some growing to do imo to become more well rounded, hell he is a Judoka Black Belt, yet never utilizes that he perfers to stand and gas himself out.
One thing I did notice as of late with Babalu is that his inability to take a strong punch to the face, I by no means am saying he has a glass jaw ala Goulet but Jason Lambert comes to mind along with him v Bobby Southworth @ StrikeForce…
I do agree that Soku might (t)ko Babalu in the first few minutes, if not Babalu by choke
timcat,
Not smoking anything, mate. I agree that Bobablou is the better fighter, but Soku has that KO threat early in the fight, that’s why I say he could win it early, or if Bobalou survives the early onslaught his superior skills will win.
fr702
Lambert throws big bombs and one happened to connect with Babalu sending him hard to the canvis. not many people can take a big hit from lambert
But i gotta go with Babalu, he’ll know how to pace himself unlike sokoudjou. i gotta give this to babalu. However soku might be one of those guys whos better in a ring than in a cage as well
It all comes down to whether or not Sokoudjou learned anything from his loss to Cane. He tends to throw everything he has into his strikes in the first round and ends up gassed early in the second. Babalu, like Cane, would just have to whether the early storm and wait until Sokoudjou gasses and then start pummeling him. If Soukoudjou takes a more disciplined approach (ie. throws fewer, more precise strikes) he could be victorious here.
Also, as happy as I am to see this fight, does anyone else but me think that it kind of looks bad for Affliction to constantly be scooping up whoever the UFC drops? Don’t get me wrong, Soko is a great fighter who probably wouldn’t have been dropped so quickly had he been willing to take a pay cut from the UFC, but if Affliction keeps this up, they will have an organization provides huge salaries to fighters who, for one reason or another, couldn’t cut it in the UFC. They tried to scoop up Fitch during his 24 hours as a free agent.
It does look kind of bad in that they are picking up the UFC cast offs. I don’t think its the best business model for them to employ, in terms of profitability. That said, they have to get fighters from somewhere, and I think they are trying to endear themselves with the fighters and boost their PR by saying “Hey, we’re willing to stick with these guys and still pay them, even if they don’t ‘live up to their expectations.’” The problem with that is two fold. First, the fighters aren’t going to turn around and fight for them for free, or give them money back to keep the organization running if they run out of money. Second, if they are paying the fighters too much, they won’t last long enough for the general public to catch on to/care about them paying the fighters more or sticking with the fighters longer.
Oh I was hoping it was going to be Babalu vs Tito! Taking Babalu on this one and hopefully Soku won’t gas after the first 4 minutes. Soku needs to train in the higher elevations and get his cardio up. Those huge ass mucles take to much oxygen to swing around. Babalu by submission (choke) 2nd round 4th minute.
Babalu is a much more seasoned fighter with alot more of a well rounded game. If for instance Soku ends up on his back the fight is definitely going bad for him. I would say Soku would have to KO this guy early to win, i suspect Babalu wins by Guillotine.
Bfree, I remember watching Babalu’s ear flop in slo mo that was awesome, I’m just saying that he doesn’t take punches the same as he use too back in the day, like when he beat Shogun and Horn
This affliction card is shaping up nicely …. I think I will be buying this one .
bob is a greta fighter.. if he wasnt an insane crazy bastard he still would be fighting in the ufc.