UFC Fight Night 26 is in the books, and the highly anticipated card turned out to be a great debut for the promotion of Fox Sports 1 Saturday night in Boston.
In the main event of the evening, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua was upset by Chael Sonnen after tapping out to a guillotine choke in the first round. A bit earlier, in the co-main event, Alistair Overeem was brutally knocked out by Travis Browne in one of the best comebacks in recent memory.
As with every UFC event, Twitter exploded with instant feedback. Here are a few of the best reactions for UFC Fight Night 26.
@sonnench don’t run from me. Why are u asking for wand? Let’s fight.
— Vitor Belfort (@vitorbelfort) August 18, 2013
Former middleweight top contender Vitor Belfort doesn’t believe Sonnen should be calling out Wanderlei Silva. “The Phenom” claims to have a better idea, and honestly, that fight makes far more sense.
So whoever had Chael Sonnen via first-round guillotine choke in their pool, I know you thought you were being funny, but you win. Somehow.
— Ben Fowlkes (@benfowlkesMMA) August 18, 2013
Plenty had Sonnen winning this fight, but I’m pretty sure not a single human being predicted first-round guillotine choke.
“@BjjJp: @BrianStann Nobody respects Chael‘s underrated submission game” hahaha I do 😉
— Brian Stann (@BrianStann) August 18, 2013
Brian Stann knows a thing or two about Sonnen‘s submission game.
Best Promo ever cut in the Octagon 🙂 @sonnench
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) August 18, 2013
May be a stretch, but Askren weighs in on Sonnen‘s post-fight speech.
Chael Sonnen won by submission?!?!
— Michael A (@michaelasiffo) August 18, 2013
Yeah, we were pretty shocked as well.
Who would have ever thought you would watch @nfl and @ufc be reported on the same network! Today was a great day for #mma @danawhite
— Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) August 18, 2013
Fox Sports 1 launched on Saturday with the big event, and the UFC fighters certainly lived up to the hype.
Congrats to my boi stevesiler on his TKO today moving up the UFC ranks #beastmode #givehimatitlefight… http://t.co/iJaKdbHN2J
— Deron Williams (@DeronWilliams) August 18, 2013
NBA superstar Deron Williams didn’t weigh in on Sonnen, but he seems to think one Steven Siler deserves a title shot.
Fight could’ve easily been stopped during Overeem’s flurry. Margin between “He’s back!” and “He’s done for good!” oh so slim.
— Derek Bolender (@MMAjunkieDerek) August 18, 2013
Is “The Reem” finished as an elite heavyweight? Can he contend for a title at some point in the future?
Wondering if Overeem will wind up on the Bellator PPV card nov. 2 now. #UFCFightNight
— Mark La Monica (@LaMonicaMark) August 18, 2013
Is Overeem done in the UFC?
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