James Toney to the UFC

If toney learned some basic ground skills and clinch work for about six months he could make some noise at first untill he fought someone with a name. Toney would kill kimbo standing. You have to remember regardless of the 4 oz glove toney has never been ko'd and he has been blasted by the best

looks like he's going to be trained by Juanito Ibarra.

Speaking to Sherdog.com, Ibarra said:

“We have been working on stretching, sprawling and movement, all the things he will need to get a handle on.”

Ibarra also spoke to MMAJunkie.com, saying there is a great respect that exists between the two men.

“James and I have good personal chemistry. That's what it takes. I just don't jump in with anybody. We respect each other's knowledge. He's a student of the fight game. He's a born fighter, and I believe in him. I think I can teach him more about his body, his athleticism – how to fight better as an MMA combatant.”

“We'll put in the work and see what happens. He's starting to get in shape, and he's in it. If I can be an asset to somebody, that's fantastic. It's another great opportunity. Hopefully my team will help him and we can go in there and get some victories.”

Ibarra also revealed that he’d like to see Toney enter the octagon for the first time in June and hope the promotion will allow him to develop as a mixed martial artist rather than throwing him in at the deep end. The name of “Kimbo Slice” also came up as a potentially interesting opponent for a later showdown.

I am so unenthused by this signing, I would have preferred the UFC to put on a freakshow, like Shaq vs Bob Sapp or something.

If he comes in out of shape and hopes to rely heavily on his rope-a-dope style like he did in boxing, he is gonna get killed.

Andrew the Raider King wrote:

I am so unenthused by this signing, I would have preferred the UFC to put on a freakshow, like Shaq vs Bob Sapp or something.

that is what James has to say about that

muayjitsu wrote:

we will se that boxers hands are WAY better then MMA fighters.

I question anyone's mma IQ who doesn't already know that. I thought everybody did

Boxing as the root style is a bad beginning skillset for MMA, as there is much to "unlearn" and relearn about striking, in addition to all the ground work. Distance, footwork, stances, defense, everything is totally different than even kickboxing.

Toney either needs fed hand picked bums or he gets embarrassed by the average UFC middleweight.

There are reasons no mid level boxer has ever transitioned.

That said, lately western boxing is enjoying a surge in MMA training as a required skillset to train in MMA in 2010, from American wrestlers to BJJ/MT specialists. Ibarra is the perfect trainer for Toney since he is a boxing trainer originally and understands what a boxer thinks and feels. Toney is too old to make any noise in MMA, but if a 25 year old boxer got with someone like Ibarra, you never know...

So what is better? Signing a Hof Football player or a Hof Boxer to MMA?

HOF Boxers imo.

Football player brings more ratings, but may make mma look silly to some, abiet even if it is only to people who already thought mma was silly.

Boxer brings less ratings but gets destroyed, further proving the reality that boxers will never compete in mma and disproving the myths that mma fighters are bums that wouldn't make it in boxing.

Is that a real question? Boxing is a combat sport, football is not.

I've been talking to people who have been hating everything about this signing. Maybe too much boxing resentment or something.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Football player brings more ratings, but may make mma look silly to some, abiet even if it is only to people who already thought mma was silly.

Boxer brings less ratings but gets destroyed, further proving the reality that boxers will never compete in mma and disproving the myths that mma fighters are bums that wouldn't make it in boxing.

How does a boxer getting in a cage and facing someone that is desperate to take them down because they want to do with them in the standing game disprove the fact that MMA fighters wouldn't make it in boxing?

Randy said he wants Tony. I like this fight i see randy pounding him out like he was on the Jersey shore.

If Randy is more concerned with fighting someone in their MMA debut then trying to fight for the title he should hang up his gloves and stop

Quote :

How does a boxer getting in a cage and facing someone that is desperate to take them down because they want to do with them in the standing game disprove the fact that MMA fighters wouldn't make it in boxing?

Ugh, no, that isn't what I said at all.

Most MMA fighters wouldn't make it in boxing. This is fact.

Toney's fight has nothing to do with this reality. Don't get it twisted.

Most MMA fighters are bums that only fight in MMA because they wouldn't last in boxing. This is myth.

This fight will speak to that myth. MMA fighters aren't boxers. Boxers wouldn't make it in Judo. Boxers wouldn't make it in BJJ. Boxers wouldn't make it in kickboxing.



I hope Toney is fed to an athletic kickboxing striker who will maul him with leg and body kicks along with takedowns, setting up a finishing punch combination. That would be beautiful.

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Quote :

How does a boxer getting in a cage and facing someone that is desperate to take them down because they want to do with them in the standing game disprove the fact that MMA fighters wouldn't make it in boxing?

Ugh, no, that isn't what I said at all.

Most MMA fighters wouldn't make it in boxing. This is fact.

Toney's fight has nothing to do with this reality. Don't get it twisted.

Most MMA fighters are bums that only fight in MMA because they wouldn't last in boxing. This is myth.

This fight will speak to that myth. MMA fighters aren't boxers. Boxers wouldn't make it in Judo. Boxers wouldn't make it in BJJ. Boxers wouldn't make it in kickboxing.



I hope Toney is fed to an athletic kickboxing striker who will maul him with leg and body kicks along with takedowns, setting up a finishing punch combination. That would be beautiful.

Hmm not many HWS with kickboxing like you say. Maybe Pat Berry any other high skilled high, experienced fighters will not be sanctioned by the athletic commission due to the safety of a fighter with no prior experience.

I'm with with Kings on this. I don't mind seeing a former fighter getting signed like I do football and baseball players. I'm a bit shocked Dana did this though as he's taken shots at boxers dissing MMA as well. This has the slim chance of backfiring if he pits a guy like Randy against Toney. Let Toney face a couple of scrubs and either get embarrassed out of MMA, or prove he's worthy to face a top talent...

Wolfgangsta wrote:

Quote :

How does a boxer getting in a cage and facing someone that is desperate to take them down because they want to do with them in the standing game disprove the fact that MMA fighters wouldn't make it in boxing?

Ugh, no, that isn't what I said at all.

Most MMA fighters wouldn't make it in boxing. This is fact.

Toney's fight has nothing to do with this reality. Don't get it twisted.

Most MMA fighters are bums that only fight in MMA because they wouldn't last in boxing. This is myth.

This fight will speak to that myth. MMA fighters aren't boxers. Boxers wouldn't make it in Judo. Boxers wouldn't make it in BJJ. Boxers wouldn't make it in kickboxing.



I hope Toney is fed to an athletic kickboxing striker who will maul him with leg and body kicks along with takedowns, setting up a finishing punch combination. That would be beautiful.

Gotcha- misinterpreted your post. Didn't realize you were addressing the "mma fighters are boxing rejects and suck balls blah blah blah" crowd

The biggest problem with signing James Tony is the commisions will not allow a fighter with 0 experience face a legitimate fighter. So he can face either a B level Tim Hague type or face Kimbo for the ratings, but if they put Kimbo in there they may lose one of their draws for future fights. I am very curious to see who they pick. I believe Dana may just build him up just to shut him down later that way he squeezes every penny out of him.

For his first fight they will match him up with someone they think will beat him. I'm thinking like a Carwin.

They should put him in there with Anderson Silva.

redvexx8 wrote:

For his first fight they will match him up with someone they think will beat him. I'm thinking like a Carwin.

They should put him in there with Anderson Silva.

Once again the commissions would not sanction this fight so it won't happen.

His first fight will be a scrub if they are smart. Second fight will be Kimbo for sure. I say someone should go pull a Nancy Kerigan on Meathead so Toney can stand in for him against Kimbo. I can't wait for that fight.