[IronMan]

There has been alot of talk around alot of MMA forums that the Snowman Jeff Monson might be fighting in UFC 61, though he hasn't been added to the fight card yet and I haven't heard any word on who his opponent might be.

Any ideas for an opponent and what do you think of him?

 

[UFCFAN33]

maybee vera , i heard maybe joe riggs vs nick diaz, -Joe Stevenson vs. Yves Edwards (at 155 pounds)
-Frank Mir vs. Dan Christison

 

[IronMan]

I'd like to see Vera v Monson, that'd be fun. I'm not sure if Vera has the strength or the grappling skills to take on the snowman, but he definitely has the striking and the takedown counter (that was a brutal guillotine).

 

[UFCFAN33]

Yea that would be a great match. i cant think of anyone else monson wuld be fighting.

 

[IronMan]

I don't know much about Vera and both him and Monson still really need to prove that they are a force in the UFC. I think they both can be, but I'm not sure if they will.

The biggest question for me is whether the fight will go to the ground or stay standing.

 

[UFCFAN33]

good question, i would think vera would want to go for a submission as quick as possible and monson would want to strike but i really dont know thats just my opion

 

[IronMan]

Vera showed a great guillotine at UFC 60, but I think that Monson will go to the ground anyway. The takedown + groundnpound +chokeout seems to be his favorite way of destroying people and (as he showed in Monson V Hinkle) it works.

It'll be a fun matchup as long as Monson doesn't get locked up in one of Vera's submissions right away like Silva did.

 

[MMA Fanatic]

That would be an interesting matchup and test for Vera. Monson has a nice string of wins going lately and like Ironman said he seems to prefer various chokeout methods when it comes to submission.

Being a big Vera fan myself I can see him taking out Monson. Contrary to most of Vera's other fights he would actually outweigh his opponent Monson.

With Vera having a height, reach and weight advantage I would expect a KO or TKO by Vera maybe by a head kick to the shorter Monson.

 

[IronMan]

I think that if you expect Vera to KO Monson then you might be underestimating the Snowman's chin. He's taken alot of hard shots in his carreer and still won.

I definitely think that it would be interesting to see the fight on the ground, because of Monson's highly unorthodox chokes and Vera's textbook BJJ.

Still, Snowman all the way.

 

[MMA Fanatic]

No I wouldn't underestimate his chin by any means, the guy is brick wall no doubt.

But, I think Vera's height and reach advantage coupled with those hammer like kicks of his could lead to at least a ref stoppage after he takes one to the head and Vera comes in to follow up.

I do agree that it would be a hell of an intersting fight on the ground. Vera's my man I gotta go with him. Can't wait to see him fight again...

 

[IronMan]

I definitely aggree about the height advantage, it does give an edge to Vera. There is one thing that alot of people forget about Monson and it tends to get them destroyed: The man can lift anyone. He's taken down wrestlers that are bigger than him and jiu-jitsu fighters that should be able to tap him out.

The guy has a pain tolerance that is only rivaled by a few other heavyweights that I've watched, Cabbage and Tank to name a few. I think that Monson's raw strength plus experience with groundnpounding jiu-jitsu guys gives him an advantage.

Plus, the timing on Vera's kicks and his depth perception isn't always the best in the world. If he misses one of those kicks then Monson will just run in and nail him with a straight takedown before Vera gets his balance back completely.

 

[MMA Fanatic]

Hard to argue on those points... =))

 

[IronMan]

Yeah. Those aren't really speculation. We've seen them proven.

Did you see Monson v Hinkle?

 

[MaximusQ]

Vera vs Monson

I may be a little crazy... but I have nothing but admiration for Vera... I thgink he is only two or three fights away from a title shot... Monson will lose to Vera... I'd bet real money on it

 

[IronMan]

You might get good odds on that and I think you're right that Vera is only a few fights away from a title shot. If he beats Monson he will be perfectly positioned to ask. But if he does get a title shot he will lose to arlovski or sylvia, which ever one comes away from this fight with the title. He doesn't have the striking ability.

I am a big Jeff Monson fan and I think you are forgetting that Monson has heavy hands and is one of the most compact fighters in the UFC. I think Monson is definitely the better fighter standing. If the fight goes to the ground we will definitely see Vera looking for submissions, but Monson is one of those guys who is strong enough to prevent an armbar as long as he's aware of it.

The snowman is a force that hasn't really been tested since his return to the UFC. I think it'd be a great matchup, but I'd put my $ on the snowman.