Thread: Akiyama is pissed about fighting Leben.

If you're heartbroken that Wanderlei Silva won't be competing at UFC 116 next Saturday due to injury, well, Yoshihiro Akiyama feels your pain. In fact, he's so unimpressed by the idea of Chris Leben coming in as a replacement that he doesn't even want to fight anymore. From daum.net via BloodyElbow:

"I am not pleased with the change. There are just ten days left until the contest for me to determine [Chris Leben’s] threats and the time is insufficient to establish a tailored gameplan. Leben is also not as high-profile as [Wanderlei] Silva and that does not help me."

"If there is to be a replacement I was hoping for a big name. I spent one year preparing hard for this fight and this news has come as a big disappointment, my motivation has waned. I do not know yet what will happen...In the worst case, I will not take part in the [UFC 116] event. We are working hard to resolve this issue."

I guess it shouldn't surprise us that this guy is having a diva moment. But I don't think he really has a choice at this point. Leben had enough warrior spirit to step up — two weeks after a battle with Aaron Simpson, mind you — and unless Akiyama wants to get on the UFC's bad side, he'll go through with the fight. Still, even Leben himself had misgivings about the match, for different reasons:

"At first I said no because I woke up in the morning, my phone was ringing and I was sore and it doesn’t make sense to take a fight when you’re not prepared and training for it. But then as I thought about it, you know, I’m a fighter, this is what I do. Why would I not take a great opportunity? It would be stupid of me. Not to mention that but I want to be a company man with the UFC, I want them to be happy with me."

"I don’t know a ton about Akiyama. My coach knows a bunch, but we haven’t even had a chance to talk much about our game plan. I saw him fight Alan Belcher and to be honest with you, I thought he lost that fight. He’s a good Judo guy, he’s got great Judo, fast kicks, maybe not the most power in the world. He’s a little bit shorter than me but he’s a good strong guy. I think that utilizing my skills, keeping it on the feet and clubbing him in the head with my left shouldn’t be too much of a problem."

And that's precisely the difference between these two fighters: When presented with a replacement opponent, Akiyama needs time to formulate a new gameplan. But no matter who he's fighting, Chris Leben's plan is going to be exactly the same — stand in the pocket and fire away with his left hand. That's all you need to know, Yoshihiro. Now sack up.

Most probably because its risky fighting someone with less of a name than him, hes got more to lose now, and winnining wont mean as much.
But yeah, one year to formulate for the swinging punches of wandy, bit much aint it.
Altho, dropping out may be open to him, as he signed to fight wandy, not leben (unless the ufc have a fighter drop out claus that allows them to put in replacements).

I understand being miffed at being handed a sub-class fighter as a replacement, it would defo bruise an ego and kill off motivation after a long year of training for a specific person, I can exactly see where he's coming from.

Then again as mentioned, you wana be in bed with the UFC, you gota jump high when they tell you to do hoops, at the end of the day everyone knows the UFC treats fighters like crap, but they are the top premier promotion for MMA and there's not a ton of choice outside of it.

I say he'd be unhappy with it, but almost certainly has to go along with this fight.

I was really looking forward to seeing wandy fight again ):

I think Sexyama should take the fight, for the sake of remaining on the card, if nothing else.

It's true what he said; it's a bit shit having to prepare for one fight only to be given another last minute. Sad about Wandy, but the guy is a warrior, and he's having must-have surgery.

Hope Yoshi stays on the card, though.

I think hes a bit wary of Leben, More to lose defo.

I say step up and fight! after all thats wat you are... a Fighter!
A good fighter should be able to beat any opp at the same weight under any circumstances.

If he doesnt fight, i will defo lose respect.

Originally Posted by TroJan Fight Wear

If he doesnt fight, i will defo lose respect.

Really? Bit harsh, that.

He's a fighter, he should be willing to fight anyone who is put infront of him. It is a bit shit that he's been training for Wand for so long only for him to pull out through injury, But he should be confident enough that if his training has been going good he shouldn't have a problem against Leben. Leben aint no walkover imo, he's one tough dude!

Guys you do realise Akiyama SPECIFICALLY requested to fight Wanderlei because of the history etc.

And he SAT OUT AND WAITED FOR IT, so when it was given, he trained his arse off and then it got taken away from him.

It's like being given a cool present you asked, well being told ur getting it, and then it gets taken away! :'(

Yeah i understand that!And I dont think its harsh at all. But if i was Akiyama i would smash Leben into the ground to send out a stirn message to Wanderlei! "This would of been you". Leben should just be a stepping stone to the fight with Wanderlei, its not like its never going to happen...

Man up! and destroy Leben, Send out the message to Wanderlei, Im still waiting!!!