Aoki v. Rupp
Rupp got robbed. He was just as good at takedowns as Aoki, and he was much much better on his feet. He hurt Aoki with some strikes: a right hand to the head, a roundhouse to the head. Aoki had some nice trips to bring Rupp down, but Aoki never hurt Rupp. It was a close fight, but Rupp was clearly better. He got jobbed. Maybe it was chance. Or maybe the UFC needs a successful Asian fighter to market in Asia.
Curran v. Jorgenson
This was an even closer fight, but the judges got this one right. I don't think either guy hurt the other or got close to a submission, but Jorgenson controlled the fight with takedowns. Some very technical grappling in this one. Close decision to Jorgenson for being more aggresive.
Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovitch v. Roy "Big Country" Nelson
Well, that was sad. Mirko was just too old. He was in great shape, but he's lost his speed. Nelson was in the best shape of his life, which wasn't as fit as Filipovitch, but wasn't bad. And he's just big and strong and tough and skilled. He
Kongo v. Mitrione
Another close fight. Even on the feet. Kongo wins by getting a takedown in round 3.
Diaz v. Penn.
Diaz was too fit. He wore Penn down.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Frankie Edgar Shows the Eye of the Tiger
Joe Lauzon v. Melvin Guillard
Guillard looked like he would kill Lauzon. He was bigger, more muscular, and seemed much more confident, happily high-fiving seemingly every fan in the arena as he walked to the ring. Plus, Josh Gross and the other ESPN MMA analysts had all picked Guillard to win easily. They said he was one of the best lightweights in the world. I was pulling for Lauzon, the kid from Bridgewater, Mass., but I didn't really think he had a chance. And in the early going, Guillard looked dominant. But then he slipped, and Lauzon was all over him, and then Lauzon had a chance to get a guillotine choke, which flowed into a rear naked choke, and it didn't look tight and you figured Guillard would get out of it but at least Lauzon had a chance now and I was hollering at the screen for Lauzon to sink it in tight and still it looked like Guillard would escape but then he wasn't and then . . . he tapped! Lauzon wins by submission! What an upset! Guillard seems stunned by the loss, nearly in tears, but it's too late now dude, you tapped.
Nam Phan vs. Leonard Garcia
This was the weirdest fight ever. Phan was quicker and more skilled and more fit, but wasn't aggressive enough to take full advantage of those advantages. Garcia was more powerful, but he was so sloppy, throwing these big looping punches, leading with his head, stopping to catch his breath. Phan should have knocked Garcia out a hundred times, but I guess he was cautious of Garcia's power. So Phan fought conservatively, was never really in danger, and took a decision. Disappointing fight. Phan should have taken Garcia out.
Brian Stann v. Chael Sonnen
I wouldn't want to fight Brian Stann. That is one big, tough looking motherfucker. And he's a former Marine captain.
Chael Sonnen is a guy I've heard so much about. He's the guy who everyone says had the unbeatable Anderson Silva beaten . . . until he got caught in a submission literally in the last seconds of the fight. He's supposed to be special, and I want to see if this is true or not.
It is. After a very even fight for two ? rounds, Sonnen locked up Stann in a submission attempt I've never seen before -- it locked like some kind of elbow crank -- and eventually the big Marine cracked and tapped out. That was very creative. I was impressed.
Kenny Florian v. Jose Aldo
This is supposed to be the co-main event. I'm pulling for Florian, an older Boston guy, to upset Aldo, the featherweight champ. But after two rounds, neither man is showing me much. I'd call it a boring tie at this point.
3rd round goes to Aldo, though. He definitely did more damage. Florian tried for some takedowns and submissions, but didn't really get anywhere. Also did some damage with his striking.
4th round is more of the same. Aldo staying slightly ahead of Florian. Not much going on, really. The best part of the round was the shots of random, bored women in the crowd. One girl did her nails. Another checked for texts on her iPhone.
5th and final round. Aldo is slightly more powerful, slightly more aggressive, slightly more accurate on strikes. Neither man gets a big takedown. But when the scramble ends up on the ground, Also is slightly more dominant. Florian tries hard to generate some offense at the end, but no dice. In the end, I think we'll remember Kenny Florian as a skilled defensive fighter. Which is great for self-defense, but not quite enough to win a UFC title. Aldo, to no one's surprise, takes the decision.
Frankie Edgar v. Gray Maynard
This is the real main event, the lightweight title fight, between South Jersey's own Frankie Edgar, the champ, and Gray Maynard, who beat Edgar once (in a non-title fight) and fought him to a draw the second time (this was a title fight, and since Edgar was the champ at the time, Edgar retained the title).
Round 1. Maynard. Edgar is covered in his own blood.
Round 2. Maynard. He keeps throwing uppercuts to the chin for which Edgar has no defense.
Round 3. Edgar is the faster man, but his speed does him no good if he doesn't use it aggresively. He should be letting his hands go and throwing combinations, but he isn't. Now he does score a few shots. I'll give him this round. Maynard knows he is ahead and is fighting defensively.
Round 4. Edgar stays on the offensive. Maynard better be careful he doesn't lose this fight by being too conservative now. And then ... there's an attempt at a takedown, a scramble, both men grappling for a hold, and Edgar throws a punch that catches Maynard on the chin and snaps his head back and Edgar smells blood and throws another, an uppercut that catches Maynard flush and now Maynard is hurt and he's back against the rope and Edgar catches him flush on the jaw again and Maynard goes down and Edgar follows, still throwing punches to the the head, all of which land and the ref stops the fight. Holy crap! Edgar wins! He was losing, badly, from the get-go, but he came back, again, and won by TKO. Fantastic! Jersey retains its homegrown MMA champion!
Guillard looked like he would kill Lauzon. He was bigger, more muscular, and seemed much more confident, happily high-fiving seemingly every fan in the arena as he walked to the ring. Plus, Josh Gross and the other ESPN MMA analysts had all picked Guillard to win easily. They said he was one of the best lightweights in the world. I was pulling for Lauzon, the kid from Bridgewater, Mass., but I didn't really think he had a chance. And in the early going, Guillard looked dominant. But then he slipped, and Lauzon was all over him, and then Lauzon had a chance to get a guillotine choke, which flowed into a rear naked choke, and it didn't look tight and you figured Guillard would get out of it but at least Lauzon had a chance now and I was hollering at the screen for Lauzon to sink it in tight and still it looked like Guillard would escape but then he wasn't and then . . . he tapped! Lauzon wins by submission! What an upset! Guillard seems stunned by the loss, nearly in tears, but it's too late now dude, you tapped.
Nam Phan vs. Leonard Garcia
This was the weirdest fight ever. Phan was quicker and more skilled and more fit, but wasn't aggressive enough to take full advantage of those advantages. Garcia was more powerful, but he was so sloppy, throwing these big looping punches, leading with his head, stopping to catch his breath. Phan should have knocked Garcia out a hundred times, but I guess he was cautious of Garcia's power. So Phan fought conservatively, was never really in danger, and took a decision. Disappointing fight. Phan should have taken Garcia out.
Brian Stann v. Chael Sonnen
I wouldn't want to fight Brian Stann. That is one big, tough looking motherfucker. And he's a former Marine captain.
Chael Sonnen is a guy I've heard so much about. He's the guy who everyone says had the unbeatable Anderson Silva beaten . . . until he got caught in a submission literally in the last seconds of the fight. He's supposed to be special, and I want to see if this is true or not.
It is. After a very even fight for two ? rounds, Sonnen locked up Stann in a submission attempt I've never seen before -- it locked like some kind of elbow crank -- and eventually the big Marine cracked and tapped out. That was very creative. I was impressed.
Kenny Florian v. Jose Aldo
This is supposed to be the co-main event. I'm pulling for Florian, an older Boston guy, to upset Aldo, the featherweight champ. But after two rounds, neither man is showing me much. I'd call it a boring tie at this point.
3rd round goes to Aldo, though. He definitely did more damage. Florian tried for some takedowns and submissions, but didn't really get anywhere. Also did some damage with his striking.
4th round is more of the same. Aldo staying slightly ahead of Florian. Not much going on, really. The best part of the round was the shots of random, bored women in the crowd. One girl did her nails. Another checked for texts on her iPhone.
5th and final round. Aldo is slightly more powerful, slightly more aggressive, slightly more accurate on strikes. Neither man gets a big takedown. But when the scramble ends up on the ground, Also is slightly more dominant. Florian tries hard to generate some offense at the end, but no dice. In the end, I think we'll remember Kenny Florian as a skilled defensive fighter. Which is great for self-defense, but not quite enough to win a UFC title. Aldo, to no one's surprise, takes the decision.
Frankie Edgar v. Gray Maynard
This is the real main event, the lightweight title fight, between South Jersey's own Frankie Edgar, the champ, and Gray Maynard, who beat Edgar once (in a non-title fight) and fought him to a draw the second time (this was a title fight, and since Edgar was the champ at the time, Edgar retained the title).
Round 1. Maynard. Edgar is covered in his own blood.
Round 2. Maynard. He keeps throwing uppercuts to the chin for which Edgar has no defense.
Round 3. Edgar is the faster man, but his speed does him no good if he doesn't use it aggresively. He should be letting his hands go and throwing combinations, but he isn't. Now he does score a few shots. I'll give him this round. Maynard knows he is ahead and is fighting defensively.
Round 4. Edgar stays on the offensive. Maynard better be careful he doesn't lose this fight by being too conservative now. And then ... there's an attempt at a takedown, a scramble, both men grappling for a hold, and Edgar throws a punch that catches Maynard on the chin and snaps his head back and Edgar smells blood and throws another, an uppercut that catches Maynard flush and now Maynard is hurt and he's back against the rope and Edgar catches him flush on the jaw again and Maynard goes down and Edgar follows, still throwing punches to the the head, all of which land and the ref stops the fight. Holy crap! Edgar wins! He was losing, badly, from the get-go, but he came back, again, and won by TKO. Fantastic! Jersey retains its homegrown MMA champion!
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Bones v. the Dragon
Dana White just tweeted that the next UFC light heavyweight championship will be Jon "Bones" Jones vs. Lyoto "the Dragon" Machida. As a former karate guy, I'll be pulling for Machida, the best karateka to fight in the UFC in years, if not ever. But if I had to bet my life savings, I'd bet on Jones. That kid is a special fighter.
Monday, October 3, 2011
UFC Live on VERSUS: Cruz Wins Tough Fight
You gotta give it to Mighty Mouse. Demetrious "Mighty Mouse" Johnson, the part-time construction worker, gave UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz the toughest fight of Cruz's career on Saturday night. Johnson was a much more difficult challenge for Cruz than the much-more-hyped Uriah Faber ever was. Johnson was at least as quick as Cruz, and was an excellent boxer. His cardio was also as good as Cruz's, and between the hand speed and the pace of the fight, Cruz got away from the oblique angles and capoeira footwork that make him special. It didn't matter in the end, though, because Cruz adjusted, went to his wrestling, and body-slammed his way to victory with two impressive suplexes.
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