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"I don’t think it’s a freak show. I give him credit for the things he’s accomplished in boxing. I certainly accomplished a lot of things in wresting that nobody gave me credit for when I made my way in to MMA. Those combative sports count for something. James is going to be dangerous... I would love to choke the hell out of him. I think that’s a big piece of MMA and certainly a big piece I’ve been working on... I suspect [the UFC chose me for this fight] because I tend to be a cerebral fighter. They probably realize I have a good chance of taking him down, putting him on his back and making the point that needs to be made... I’m not the one saying, ‘boxers suck.’ I have a lot of respect for what boxers do and I’ve never had any illusion that I’m a world-class boxer. I’m a mixed martial artist."
-Randy Couture talks to the Las Vegas Sun about his fight with James Toney at this weekend's UFC 118 event and how he wants to finish the fight.
Penick's Analysis: Couture's wrestling and clinch game is simply too good for someone who has only been training for nine months to prepare for it. Regardless of Toney's punching power, he's going to need to keep himself standing to utilize it, and I don't see that happening. I think Couture by submission in this one is a fairly safe bet, and there's a lot of fans who will be very happy to see it accomplished.
RELATED STORY: UFC 118 PREVIEW: James Toney ready to play the bad guy against Randy Couture; not considering the possibility of a loss: [CLICK TO READ FULL ARTICLE]
[Randy Couture art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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