Chris Leben's coach blames sickness for UFC 125 performance
Posted on January 3, 2011, 08:14 AM by Daniel CassidyFirst, great job by Brian Stann. He never looked better. Many have commented that Chris was very slow and looked off last night. The truth is that Chris was sick. He had a fever and chills when he stepped into the cage. He was vomiting in the lockeroom before the fight, and after a hard warm up he didn't have a drop of sweat. Big heart to fight like that, but he was moving slow motion. He was very sharp in training. He will be back.
My post was clear to many, but for the others, allow me to elucidate.
1. people were wondering why Chris looked slow and "off". I provided them with the reason.
2. I didn't say that this was the reason for the loss. Stann was amazing and may have won anyway. Good job by Brian.
3. If I had said "chris lost because he was sick", that would have been an excuse and would have been unwarranted.
Chris is banged up, still battling the flu, but is in good spirits. Thanks for the support.
Despite weighing in as the heavy favourite before the bout, fan favourite Chris Leben suffered a first round loss to Brian Stann in devastating fashion. Coming into the fight, Leben was quickly handled, being dropped to the matt twice in the opening round, however manager Burton Richardson believes a flu like virus was the cause for his performance. Many expected the usually iron chinned Leben to walk through Stann, but "The All American" proved he should never be underestimated, as he delivered Leben his first TKO loss since Anderson Silva, and only the second of "The Crippler's" career.
Leben now looks likely to hold his spot as an entertaining Middleweight Gate Keeper following the loss. While his fighting style and popularity will ensure we see Leben in the cage again as soon as he is able, a loss to Stann could have ended the title aspirations he had. Stann will now look to face someone in the top 10 at Middleweight, and added his name to the list of those calling out Wanderlei Silva, although the winner of Bisping vs Rivera looks most likely for the Marine Captain, who's stock will no doubt rise due in the wake of UFC 125.
Source: TheUG (via Bloody Elbow)
Comments
It's hippocritical to make a statement about "why" a fighter lost or performed the way he did, and then go on to say they are not making excuses, because that's exactly what they are doing, making excuses.
I like Leben a lot but he lost, end of story. To come back and say he was sick, whether true or not, is just making an excuse. Once you step inside the cage, there are no excuses, or reasons to try to justify a bad performance by making statements that the fighter was sick, off mentally, or anything else.
If you are not fit or well enough to step into the cage, don't do it, period.
First off, it's "hypocritical" not "hippocritical". Secondly i'll vouch for leben that a lot of the time you can't tell the difference between nerves and sickness. Many fighters throw up before their fights and feel shaky and get cottonmouth, i know i have felt physically sick before some of my fights only to feel perfectly fine afterwards. I say good for Chris for saying screw it and throwing down. That's an attitude to be commended not reprimanded
no chit Tito does that......why even say chit...hell he could of just denied
interviews because he has fever and is puking.. leave it at that not go
into im not making excuses BUT.....ect ect
I honestly didn't understand a word you said there.
maybe this guy was having fever and chills while typing this...
Maybe people should just put it off...i mean is it worthit? But...Chris lebens lack of strategy lost him that fight. Everytime he loses infact, it's because of his lack of strategy.
Some people are actually trained, can't just stand still and go shot for shot in the pros...for long.
This is funny coming from a guy that constantly throws around the "A Silva had a bruised rib..." excuse.
Silva won the fight you idiot, and it's actually documented that the injury existed.
Wow, name calling? Sorry I didn't realize you were 13 years old.
i originally attributed the slow movement as a symptom of being rocked so many times but he didn't even get the basics right e.g. tucking your chin in, keeping your hands up.
he doesnt do that anyway, which is why he eats so many punches. he has only got to where he is cos of iron jaw and a solid punch, he isnt technical, he is such a sloppy fighter.
That is a very good take. I really can't believe this story is coming out.
I think this is hilarious. All the guy is saying is that he had the flu and pretty bad. That is all he is saying. For those that question, have you ever fought with the flu? Most get the flu and can't make it to work. Yet, when it comes to a fighter we just say...suck it up...and pretend it's no big deal or disadvantage. Well, it is a big deal and disadvantage.
For all those that just want to push it off as an excuse, the excuse would have been why he didn't fight, not why he didn't win. And for those that wish to bitch about this flu being raised as an excuse, I say this - you got your ####ing monies worth, you got to see a sick guy get knocked out and badly, what is your problem? You got your Chris Leben meat...you got to see what you wanted...so shut the #### up. You have nothing to bitch about. He fought. You got to see your beating. You were deprived of nothing.
For any that doubt flu as an issue - I ask you to get up from your sick bed, with a fever and vomiting and get into a ring and fight a guy like Brian Stann. I wonder how many would answer the bell on that one.
First thing out of their mouths would be...I can't...I have the flu. And Chris Leben could call you - pussy.
All the props to Leben for showing up, let alone taking the beating and losing. I would not expect a fighter with the flu to either show up, nor win; not unless he was fighting some washout loser and Stann is certainly not that. And on that note - once again I think the doctor(s) have failed a fighter. What medical opinion would clear a fighter with a temperature, vomiting and dehydration? A fighter should not be allowed to fight if he has the flu; period
Sickness aside - what this tells me is that Leben is even tougher and gamer than most think and that his chin is tougher than we thought. He got caught with some heavy shots that would have ended earlier than it did, for some other fighters, but not Chris. How much more might he have withstood, had he been 100%? Not saying he would have beaten Stann; Stann is a tough guy and hits like a truck.
Exactly, who would clear him to fight if he had the flu? Good question.
@wingchun Dude i totally agree with you. With every single point!! Fantastic post my friend.
PS. does anyone remember ufc 122 Alessio Sakara pulled out of his fight with jorge Rivera while he was in the dressing room. Due to guess what?? Yeah that's right the flu!! Bet all you Leben doubters were not too happy about that were you? So extra props to Leben for putting his ass on the line for you so called fans, even though he in no way shape or form should have been fighting that night.! He basically put the fans enjoyment before the good of his own career and people have the verve to talk trash about him and his fighting style!! Unbelievable..
At some point I think Chris can say he can't fight. I think if he really had the flu he shouldn't have fought. It obviously hurt him more to fight than it would have if he dropped out of the fight.
I think when it's that close to the fight and a fighter pulls out he'd be in more trouble then fighting and losing. Especially the fans, plus he'd be letting down UFC if he dropped out of the fight so close.
@TRD
True but getting knocked out like that couldn't be as beneficial as dropping out of the fight.
I can understand that Leben wasn't 100% when he fought B. Stann, however if Leben keeps on using his chin to block punches the way he does, he will get knocked out almost every time he fights.
If he had flu or didn't have the flu, his style is always gonna get him whooped bad here and there. You can't come forward leaving yourself so open anymore in MMA. At MW he gets away with it a bit because it isn't stacked with quality that will smash him every time, but the way MMA is going all divisions are going to be full of fighters who punish amateur fighting.
he looked like shit in the back stage video
I fingered he was sick
hopefully this uppset dosn't set him back too much
@ck1 what about the triangle on Akiyama, was that sloppy too!!!
Stann was a Marine and a captain at that. Get it right. Them fellas in the Corps dont take too kindly to being called Army. Just sayin...
sorry mate, it will be fixed now!
Maybe now leban will start to realise the best way to defend punches is not to block them with his head!
One of the problems with being on the main card in a UFC PPV is that you CANNOT pull out in the last two weeks before the fight. Unless your arm or leg is broken in three places, you have to fight.
Plans have been made, and marketing dollars have been spent and if you piss off Dana--your career is toast.
Interestingly, the biggest danger before a fight is mingling with many people, some of whom have viruses. A virus may not stop you from fighting, but it definitely affects your game. This danger is highest in the winter when colds and flu are endemic.
Heavy excerise generally boosts your immune system, so the danger of contracting a virus should be less for fighters than the rest of us, however, losing weight prior to a fight acts to depress the immune system, making those who lose a lot of weight susceptible to a viral attack.
This is an unfortunate part of the game. I would advise fighters to wash their hands frequently before a fight and minimize public contact until after the bout.
even if he was ill keep it to your self or u end up like the king of excuesses tito. i lost no respect for leben hes still a beast. in all fairness he did look super slow
why not say dis before the fight not after, if he won i think we wud never of heard of dis, i know if i was sick i wudnt fight simple as that
I respect leben, his coach wouldn't have brought it up that he was sick for nothing. Leben is a company men that will do the ufc any favors and his toughness was proved when he said **** it and had some balls to go out there in the octagon.