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Timing Error Robs Maiquel Falcao of Submission Victory at UFC 123

(Props: TheProwler31 via MiddleEasy)
After a strong start against Gerald Harris at UFC 123, Maiquel Falcao checked out in the third round, deciding to coast to a decision victory rather than try to finish the fight — a terribly anti-cli…

(Props: TheProwler31 via MiddleEasy)

After a strong start against Gerald Harris at UFC 123, Maiquel Falcao checked out in the third round, deciding to coast to a decision victory rather than try to finish the fight — a terribly anti-climactic ending to what might have been a career-making performance. But things would have turned out a lot differently if not for a monumental screw-up by the timekeeper.

As the above video proves, the horn went off about six seconds before the first round actually should have ended. That wouldn’t make much of a difference in most fights, but Falcao had Harris in a fully-sunk rear-naked choke at the end of the round, and Harris seemed dangerously close to either tapping or passing out. Instead of picking up his eighth-consecutive first-round victory, Falcao became the night’s official scapegoat for boring point-fighters. Not that Big Rig’s behavior in the last five minutes of the fight should be excused, but that shit ain’t fair. I wonder if the timekeeper had money on Harris…

Hot Potato: Brittney Palmer’s New UFC Magazine Photos

(Photos courtesy of UFC Magazine via MMA Fix. Click all for larger versions.) The latest issue of UFC Magazine is on newsstands now, featuring a cover story on Georges St. Pierre, a list of the 25 greatest submissions in UFC history, a…

(Photos courtesy of UFC Magazine via MMA Fix. Click all for larger versions.)

The latest issue of UFC Magazine is on newsstands now, featuring a cover story on Georges St. Pierre, a list of the 25 greatest submissions in UFC history, and most importantly, some jaw-dropping photos of new Octagon Girl Brittney Palmer, who will be making her debut at UFC 125 on New Year’s Day. Of course, Brittney is already a familiar sight to anybody who’s followed her work in the WEC. And because CagePotato is your #1 resource for crudely-scanned magazine photos of hot MMA ring girls, shots from her new pictorial are above. What else can you say, except perhaps "My God dat ass"?

Video Roundup: The Eight Nastiest Walk-Off Knockouts in MMA History

Sometimes a fighter connects with his opponent so perfectly that he can confidently peace out to collect his check before the ref even stops the fight. It’s called a walk-off knockout, and it’s what all other knockouts aspire to be. Here, presented w…

#8: Brad Kohler vs. Steve Judson @ UFC 22 (9/24/99)

Shane Carwin Gets ‘Unfollowed’ by the UFC, Requests Scott Coker’s Phone Number

(Image courtesy of Twitter.com/ShaneCarwin via BloodyElbow)
Following his loss to Brock Lesnar at UFC 116, Shane Carwin’s online persona seemed to change from "strong, silent type," to "loose cannon who will shout down everybody from f…

(Image courtesy of Twitter.com/ShaneCarwin via BloodyElbow)

Following his loss to Brock Lesnar at UFC 116, Shane Carwin‘s online persona seemed to change from "strong, silent type," to "loose cannon who will shout down everybody from fans to MMA blogs to his own employers." And while we’re not going to criticize a fighter for letting their personality hang out a little more, we will offer this one bit of advice: Be careful, bro.

Last month, Carwin publicly blasted the UFC for banning GOOD4U drinks as a UFC sponsor. Last night, he vented more anger via Twitter after apparently being "blocked" by the UFC’s official account. And then, he asked (jokingly, we hope) for Scott Coker’s number, which is not the kind of joke that Dana White would find amusing.

Carwin is far too valuable to be straight-up fired for his attitude, Duffee-style. But after these Twitter-outbursts, the recent steroid accusations, and his unwillingness to do media appearances leading up to the Lesnar fight, he can’t be the UFC’s favorite person right now. So please, Shane, stop self-sabotaging. And if Pinkberry offers gift baskets, make sure there’s one on Dana’s desk by tomorrow morning.

Update: Don’t worry, the UFC has unblocked Shane.

Armchair Matchmaker: UFC 123 Edition

(Seriously, who let that mouse into the Octagon? Props: UFC.com)
Here’s what we know: BJ Penn and George Sotiropoulos already have dates at UFC 127 in Australia. Karo Parisyan has been fired (again), and Matt Brown will surely be let go as well …

(Seriously, who let that mouse into the Octagon? Props: UFC.com)

Here’s what we know: BJ Penn and George Sotiropoulos already have dates at UFC 127 in Australia. Karo Parisyan has been fired (again), and Matt Brown will surely be let go as well after suffering his third-consecutive submission loss. (Tyson Griffin also lost his third-straight on Saturday, but will remain in the promotion, as the judges’ decision in his fight against Nik Lentz was utter horseshit.) So where do UFC 123‘s other winners and losers go from here? As usual, we have a few suggestions…

Quinton Jackson: This one’s fairly obvious, assuming that nobody really wants to see an immediate rematch between Jackson and Machida. Rampage should get the winner of Jon Jones vs. Ryan Bader at UFC 126. The winner of that fight gets a title shot. Bada-bing, bada-boom.

Lyoto Machida: Once an unstoppable force in the light-heavyweight division, it’s now been a year and a half since the Dragon has put on a dominant performance against anybody. At this point, the UFC needs to re-build Machida against a mid-level contender. Give him Matt Hamill, who deserves a step up after handling Keith Jardine and Tito Ortiz. Alternately, you could throw Machida in against Randy Couture, and see if the Natural’s gift for game-planning can carry him through against the Dragon. Of course, that matchup might not be pointless enough for Randy, so don’t get your hopes up.

Alessio Sakara’s ‘Flu-Like Symptoms’ Could Have Been Weight-Cut Related

(If you can’t laugh at Jorge’s smiley-face-tie-tuxedo underwear, something’s definitely wrong with you. Photo courtesy of MMA Junkie.)
Alessio Sakara has been conspicuously silent about his health since dropping out of UFC 122’s co-main event. The Am…

(If you can’t laugh at Jorge’s smiley-face-tie-tuxedo underwear, something’s definitely wrong with you. Photo courtesy of MMA Junkie.)

Alessio Sakara has been conspicuously silent about his health since dropping out of UFC 122’s co-main event. The American Top Team fighter was slated to take on Jorge Rivera, but instead pulled out just hours before the match due to "flu-like symptoms." So what was really going on with him? British MMA journalist Gareth Davies has a theory, which he shared on MMA Live:

"I have it on good authority that 8 or 9 days before bout was due to take place; Alessio Sakara was walking around at 220 pounds. He failed to show for the fighter workouts on the Thursday in Italy. He was walking around the fight hotel looking very gaunt and ghostlike. When you take that much weigh off, that quickly, it does bring on illness sometimes and I do fear this may have happened here with Alessio Sakara. And it doesn’t do him any favors with the UFC, I can guarantee you that."