Author: CrushCo

[VIDEO] Kimbo Slice Knocks the Bread Out of Brian Green in Dramatic Last-Second KO

(Chill dawg, the video’s after the jump.)

The trail of bodies left in the wake of street-certified pugilist Kimbo Slice led us to Springfield, Missouri, last night, where the fighter formerly known as Kevin Ferguson looked to extend his professional boxing career to a perfect 4-0. Slice, you may recall, was originally slated to face Mike Glenn, but Camp Kimbo pulled out of the bout after not receiving any training footage of the 0-0 boxer. Fortunately for us all, they found an undersized opponent with no pro-boxing experience to fill in at the last-minute.

Brian Green, who competes in MMA as a Middleweight, weighed in some 22lbs lighter than Slice according to the scales at WalMart. In light of Green’s considerable MMA background and Kimbo’s relative inexperience in the world of Marquess of Queensberry, this bout actually ended up being far more competitive than Icy Mike would have preferred.

Video of the come-from-behind knockout, and some words and stuff, after the jump.

(Chill dawg, the video’s after the jump.)

The trail of bodies left in the wake of street-certified pugilist Kimbo Slice led us to Springfield, Missouri, last night, where the fighter formerly known as Kevin Ferguson looked to extend his professional boxing career to a perfect 4-0. Slice, you may recall, was originally slated to face Mike Glenn, but Camp Kimbo pulled out of the bout after not receiving any training footage of the 0-0 boxer. Fortunately for us all, they found an undersized opponent with no pro-boxing experience to fill in at the last-minute.

Brian Green, who competes in MMA as a Middleweight, weighed in some 22lbs lighter than Slice according to the scales at WalMart. With Green’s considerable MMA background and Kimbo’s relative inexperience in the world of Marquess of Queensberry, this bout actually ended up being far more competitive than Icy Mike would have preferred.

 

Round 4 (via: YouTube/CrazyCNote13)

Green used a combination of speed and actual boxing skill to batter Kimbo’s beard in the first three rounds. The crowd chanted for the ‘underdog’ throughout the fight, though it’s quite possible they were die-hard Afropuff fans thirsty for revenge. Green had noticeably fatigued by the fourth and final frame—that kind of thing can happen when you take a bout on a few days notice—but still dutifully swung them thangs as he looked to put Slice away. Unquestionably behind on the scorecards three rounds to nil, Kimbo charged his opponent as the clock ticked down, capping off a three-punch combination with a short uppercut that dropped Green cold with three seconds left in the match. Done Da-Da.

With the dramatic come from behind knockout, Kimbo extends his pro-boxing record to a flawless 4-0, with three wins coming via KO. Whatever $kala touches turns to gold.

Bellator 62 Recap: Those Are the Breaks

Rick Hawn, Olympic Judoka knock-out artist (Video: YouTube/BellatorMMA)

It just wouldn’t be a Friday night without a Santos-Prindle cancellation and an action-packed Bellator tournament. If you went dateless last night (or had a really awesome date) and managed to catch the opening round of the Season 6 Lightweight tourney, you were treated to some memorable scraps. For those who missed it: someone got concussed, someone’s in a cast, and we’ve got your cheat sheet right here.

Rene Nazare was looking to let his hands go from the onset, but once Thiago Michel rattled off a few front kicks to the grill his interest in a standup battle waned. Michel worked his kickboxing game all three rounds, using his long limbs to land combinations while keeping Nazare at bay. The BJJ specialist was denied takedowns throughout the fight, and when he did manage to pull Michel to the ground he was either short on time or short on action. Michel’s aggression on the feet and defense on the ground was enough to score the split decision win.

A rare submission, a knock out, and a broken limb await you after the jump.

Rick Hawn, Olympic Judoka knock-out artist (Video: YouTube/BellatorMMA)

It just wouldn’t be a Friday night without a Santos-Prindle cancellation and an action-packed Bellator tournament. If you went dateless last night (or had a really awesome date) and managed to catch the opening round of the Season 6 Lightweight tourney, you were treated to some memorable scraps. For those who missed it: someone got concussed, someone’s in a cast, and we’ve got your cheat sheet right here.

Rene Nazare was looking to let his hands go from the onset, but once Thiago Michel rattled off a few front kicks to the grill his interest in a standup battle waned. Michel worked his kickboxing game all three rounds, using his long limbs to land combinations while keeping Nazare at bay. The BJJ specialist was denied takedowns throughout the fight, and when he did manage to pull Michel to the ground he was either short on time or short on action. Michel’s aggression on the feet and defense on the ground was enough to score the split decision win.

Brent Weedman found himself in several precarious positions last night, all of which he’d more or less placed himself in. Both men came out swinging for the fences, and only seconds into the bout Weedman sat JJ Ambrose down with a big left hand. Rather than pounce, Weedman backed off, giving Ambrose an opportunity to get back to his feet, secure a body lock, and slam him to the canvas. Weedman survived a D’Arce choke, guillotine, and kimura before landing a beautiful pair of upkicks that sent Ambrose’s mouthpiece flying. From there Weedman took control, securing JJ’s back and working for a rear naked choke to close out the round. The second stanza began with Weedman ceding position again as he pulled back on a tentative kick then fell to his back. Again Ambrose seized the moment with a D’Arce attempt, but Weedman escaped to side mount and went to work. After landing some ground and pound from the crucifix, Weedman saw an opening for the rarely-seen Von Flue choke. The crushing pressure was too great for Ambrose, who tapped at 3:26 of the second round.

Ricardo Tirloni said in his pre-fight interviews that he likes getting hit. I don’t doubt his sincerity, but he may not have cared for the way Rick Hawn throws down. The Olympic judoka worked his way through a bevy of hard knees and kicks from Tirloni, all the while looking for a home for his big right hand. Hawn corralled the Brazilian toward the cage halfway through the first round and landed a massive right hand that sent Tirloni and his eleven-fight win streak crashing down. A few follow-up shots on the ground punched Hawn’s ticket to the tournament semi-finals.

Patricky Freire and Lloyd Woodard threw down in a back and forth first round that was difficult to score; fortunately for the cageside judges, it was evident that this one wasn’t going to make it to the final bell. Woodard threw relentless knees as the two exchanged heavily right from the start. A well-timed straight left dropped “Pitbull” to the mat, but Freire would explode back to his feet and secure a pair of takedowns of his own before getting reversed. Back on their feet, Freire connected with a series of blows that had “Cupcake” in trouble. Freire dumped him on his back but was unable to complete a kimura attempt as the clock wound down. The leather continued to fly in the second round, with both men throwing without a thought of defense. Coming off a heavy exchange, “Pitbull” shot in for a double leg but was caught by a knee on the way in. Woodard took advantage of his stunned opponent, stuffing the takedown and landing in side-control. From here it was shades of Mir-Nogueira II, as Woodard slapped on a kimura, rolled Freire over, and drew the tap. Just like his mentor, Freire waited until his arm had snapped before admitting defeat. It was a huge upset for Woodard, who advances to the next round of the tourney.

Full Results: (via: FightoftheNight.com)

Main Card:

Lloyd Woodard def. Patricky “Pitbull” Freire via submission (kimura) – R2, 1:46

Rick Hawn def. Ricardo Tirloni via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:36

Brent Weedman def. J.J. Ambrose via submission (Von Flue choke) – R2, 3:26

Thiago Michel def. Rene Nazare via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Prelims:

Luis Vega def. Sonny Luque via submission (arm-triangle choke) – R1, 3:43
Chris Jones def. Steven Peterson via split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)
Dave Jansen def. Jacob Kirwan via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Rad Martinez def. Douglas Frey via TKO (punches) – R1, 4:08

Aleksander Emelianenko Doomed to a Pair of Can-Crushing Blue Balls

(Video courtesy of YouTube/limonadoss)

There is no greater crime than to be deprived of sharing your gift with the world. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but to let a god-given talent die on the vine is unforgivable, yet this seems to be the fate of one Aleksander Emelianenko. You see, after fighting in a series of meaningful, competitive battles, Aleks found his true calling as a can-crusher. Each morbid beatdown was a sight to behold, a gift to the masses. Sadly, we are now being robbed of that gift. Sure, he’s still standing across the cage from lesser competition, but they are a dangling carrot that he cannot bite, a mirage in the distance that he’ll never actually reach. Observe:

We first caught a glimpse of this phenomenon when Aleks squared off against Eddy Bengtsson. After a scant forty seconds, Bengtsson succumbed to a phantom punch and deprived Aleks the joy of a brutal finish. Fast-forward to last Friday evening, where Aleks took to punching heavybag journeyman Tadas Rimkevicius. To his credit, Rimkevicius seemed game to trade until Emelianenko really started to swang them thangs, which forced “The Lithuanian Bear” to dig deep into his bag of tricks (check out that rolling kneebar at 5:20 and tell me that Tadas isn’t the bastard child of Oleg Taktarov and Ryo Chonan). Ol’ Rimke actually catches Aleks with a left hand and drops him as the round draws to a close, which was possibly the closest anyone came to being legitimately put away in a bout that ended via TKO.

After the jump, Aleks gets cut off at ‘second base’.

(Video courtesy of YouTube/limonadoss)

There is no greater crime than to be deprived of sharing your gift with the world. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but to let a god-given talent die on the vine is unforgivable, yet this seems to be the fate of one Aleksander Emelianenko. You see, after fighting in a series of meaningful, competitive battles, Aleks found his true calling as a can-crusher. Each morbid beatdown was a sight to behold, a gift to the masses. Sadly, we are now being robbed of that gift. Sure, he’s still standing across the cage from lesser competition, but they are a dangling carrot that he cannot bite, a mirage in the distance that he’ll never actually reach. Observe:

We first caught a glimpse of this phenomenon when Aleks squared off against Eddy Bengtsson. After a scant forty seconds, Bengtsson succumbed to a phantom punch and deprived Aleks the joy of a brutal finish. Fast-forward to last Friday evening, where Aleks took to punching heavybag journeyman Tadas Rimkevicius. To his credit, Rimkevicius seemed game to trade until Emelianenko really started to swang them thangs, which forced “The Lithuanian Bear” to dig deep into his bag of tricks (check out that rolling kneebar at 5:20 and tell me that Tadas isn’t the bastard child of Oleg Taktarov and Ryo Chonan). Ol’ Rimke actually catches Aleks with a left hand and drops him as the round draws to a close, which was possibly the closest anyone came to being legitimately put away in a bout that ended via TKO.

The second frame saw Aleks connecting with hard shots to Rimkevicius’ dome. Then, before the big man fell, before he was even slightly wobbled, he turned away and buried his face in the top rope in defeat. That’s not why you’re here, Tadas! Poor Aleks seems doomed to a never-ending sequence of pugilistic foreplay; it’s a bunch of jabs and stiff ones but he can never fully unload. You’ve got to feel bad for the guy. Then again, maybe it’s wrong to blame these dudes for not going all the way. Better safe than sorry, right?

Bellator 61 Recap: Some Faces Get Smashed, No Arms Get Collected

Brian Rogers’ walk-off flying knee KO (Courtesy of YouTube/BellatorMMA)

Bellator kicked off its fourth 185-lb tournament last night and it was a pretty good night of scraps for those in the bludgeoning business. Despite a last minute cancellation of the scheduled Prindle-Santos rematch, the card marched bravely on. Eight middleweights squared off for a chance to advance to the semis and ultimately to challenge reigning champ Hector Lombard. It may not be the most popular tournament at the moment, but it’s ours, dammit, and here’s how it played out.

The opening bout in the eight-man scrum pitted Season 5 runner-up Vitor Vianna against Brian Rogers. Rogers came out as the early aggressor, firing off hard shots at a passive Vianna. Eager to get the fight to the ground, Vianna worked for the takedown, but his back only graced the canvas once for a few seconds following a hip-toss by Rogers. Back on the feet, “The Predator” stunned Vianna with a right hand that wobbled him back on his heels. Smelling blood, Rogers leapt in with flying knee for a textbook falling tree KO. “”That was my third flying knee knockout. Google it,” said Rogers in his post-fight interview. I would, boss, but I’m terrified of the internet. All nine of Rogers’ victories have come by first round stoppage. Not too shabby.

Brian Rogers’ walk-off flying knee KO (Courtesy of YouTube/BellatorMMA)

Bellator kicked off its fourth 185-lb tournament last night and it was a pretty good night of scraps for those in the bludgeoning business. Despite a last minute cancellation of the scheduled Prindle-Santos rematch, the card marched bravely on. Eight middleweights squared off for a chance to advance to the semis and ultimately to challenge reigning champ Hector Lombard. It may not be the most popular tournament at the moment, but it’s ours, dammit, and here’s how it played out.

The opening bout in the eight-man scrum pitted Season 5 runner-up Vitor Vianna against Brian Rogers. Rogers came out as the early aggressor, firing off hard shots at a passive Vianna. Eager to get the fight to the ground, Vianna worked for the takedown, but his back only graced the canvas once for a few seconds following a hip-toss by Rogers. Back on the feet, “The Predator” stunned Vianna with a right hand that wobbled him back on his heels. Smelling blood, Rogers leapt in with flying knee for a textbook falling tree KO. “”That was my third flying knee knockout. Google it,” said Rogers in his post-fight interview. I would, boss, but I’m terrified of the internet.  All nine of Rogers’ victories have come by first round stoppage. Not too shabby.

Giva Santana knew exactly what he wanted to do in his bout with Bruno Santos. So did the fans. And unfortunately for him, so did Santos. Santana, who owns more arms than Kali, worked dutifully to drag Santos to the mat, but “Carioca” wasn’t having it. He rolled out of two takedowns in a close first round and even pulled up on a slam in the second to avoid a ground battle with Santana. Santos continued to take out “The Arm Collector’s” base in the third with a series of leg kicks, and he defended well when they did hit the canvas. It wasn’t the evening’s most exciting bout, but the performance was enough to score Santos a unanimous decision and extend his record to a perfect 13-0.

Through the power of television, Bellator turned back the clock and showcased an undercard bout from earlier in the evening. The Trey Houston-Jeremiah Riggs must have been contested under “The Ultimate Fighter Live” rules, as both men swung for the fences and held nothing back for a potential second round. That go-for-the-kill pace left both men winded half-way through the opening frame. With his back against the cage, Houston exploded forward, driving Riggs across the cage and ending up in side-mount. After a scramble and more haymakers, Houston again scored the takedown. Mounted, Riggs flipped off the cage and reversed positions, but “That Just Happened” happened again with a beautiful armbar to end the fight. The 23-year-old Houston is now 9-0, with all wins coming via stoppage.

Vyacheslav Vasilvsky cut a path to the second round through Victor O’Donnell’s swollen face. Both men were aggressive in the first, with O’Donnell scoring two takedowns and working for mount. He tried to get the fight to the ground again in the second, but was stuffed on a takedown and stumbled backward by a short jab right on the button. From there, it was two rounds of survival. The Russian’s ground and pound had his opponent turtling up, and on the feet he continued to hurt O’Donnell with his accurate hands. O’Donnell showed great heart and proved too tough to put away, but he was out gunned in this battle. Vasilevsky scored the unanimous decision and picked up his fourteenth straight win.

In the main event of the evening, UFC exile Maiquel Falcao took on Norman Paraisy in a heated battle. Falcoa worked for takedowns early on, briefly securing mount and crowding the Frenchman against the fence through much of the first. At the end of the opening round, “Big Rig” hoisted Paraisy into the air, nearly securing a picture perfect “human torture rack” before losing control and dropping his opponent. As the bell sounded, Falcoa landed with a slightly late knee to the body, prompting a very late left hand from Paraisy. The two apologized, but shit was on. Falcao cranked it up a notch in the second, firing off leg kicks and finding a home for his flurries. The Brazilian dropped Paraisy twice in the second, but chose a bit of bravado and posturing over swarming in for the finish. Again, the round ended with some post-bell action from Falcao. The final frame was all “Big Rig”. Paraisy was hurt in the standup and found no sanctuary on the ground. Predictably, the fighting ended shortly after the final bell, but when the dust had settled a dominant Falcao got his hand raised.

The tournament’s four winners will advance to the semi-finals at Bellator 66. Rogers is slated to take on Santos while Vasilevsky will go to work against Falcao.

FULL RESULTS: (via AdCombat.com)

Middleweight Quarterfinals:
Norman Paraisy v Maiquel Falcao – Falcao by Unanimous Judges Decision R3
Vitor Vianna v Brian Rogers – Rogers by KO Flying Knee Strike 4:14 R1
Bruno Santos v Giva Santana – Santos by Unanimous Judges Decision R3
Victor O’Donnell v Vyacheslav Vasilevsky – Vasilevsky by Unanimous Judges Decision R3

Preliminary Card (Live on Spike.com):

Trey Houston v Jeremiah Riggs – Houston by Submission – Armbar, 3:30 R1
Eric Scallan v Derrick Krantz – Krantz by Submission – Choke, 3:01 R1
Jason Sampson v Jeremy Myers – Sampson by Submission Rear naked choke 2:25 R3

 

UFC 144 Aftermath Part I: Playing to the Crowd

If you’re only going to do one thing, make sure you do it well. (Photo: Getty Images/UFC.com)

It would be an understatement to call the UFC’s return to Japan triumphant. We could point to the bevy of exciting finishes as proof enough, but last night’s action seemed to go beyond that. More important to the evening’s success was the way the competitors fought. Surrounded by fans that appreciate the “bushido spirit” above all else, the fighters let it all hang out and battled their way through adversity. The Japanese prefer an entertaining performance over a cautious victory, and from the opening bout to the final bell of the evening, they got their money’s worth.

The final four combatants weren’t able to match the undercard’s highlight-reel stoppages, but the fighters knew the stakes and, to the best of their abilities, showed up to wow the fans.

If you’re only going to do one thing, make sure you do it well. (Photo: Getty Images/UFC.com)

It would be an understatement to call the UFC’s return to Japan triumphant. We could point to the bevy of exciting finishes as proof enough, but last night’s action seemed to go beyond that. More important to the evening’s success was the way the competitors fought. Surrounded by fans that appreciate the “bushido spirit” above all else, the fighters let it all hang out and battled their way through adversity. The Japanese prefer an entertaining performance over a cautious victory, and from the opening bout to the final bell of the evening, they got their money’s worth.

The final four combatants weren’t able to match the undercard’s highlight-reel stoppages, but the fighters knew the stakes and, to the best of their abilities, showed up to wow the fans.

Quinton Jackson’s hopes to turn back the clock and revive his fan-focused style in Japan faded as quickly as his PRIDE walkout song. Just minutes into his bout with Ryan Bader, as he was pressed against the cage, it was clear that he was battling an opponent whose wrestling prowess promised to stifle whatever energy he’d hoped to bring to Saitama Super Arena. What’s worse, he must have known that there was little he could do about it. Overweight and under-trained, this was the worst Rampage we’ve seen to date. As the second round kicked off he looked slow, sluggish, and outgunned. And that’s when it happened. As Bader delivered a knee toward his head, Rampage caught the leg and scooped him up for a brutal slam. No, it wasn’t as high nor as swift as we’ve seen in the past, but for a man desperately hoping to thrill his fans it was an important moment, and moments like that are hard to come by. Bader was wobbled, but while the effects of the [pretty much illegal] slam were fleeting, Rampage had delivered what was unquestionably the most memorable action in the bout.

Unfortunately for the former Light Heavyweight Champion, that highlight would be his first and last. Bader quickly regained his composure and with it control of the fight. It was a dominant performance that scored him an obvious unanimous decision. Rampage cites a knee injury in training as the reason for his lack of preparation, and while his love of fighting has certainly waned in recent years I’m inclined to believe him. His assertion that he looked better than ever prior to the injury, probably not. At the end of the day, it was a very disappointing performance from Rampage and a notable victory for Bader. The former TUF’er notched a big win against a legend of the sport, and he did so on an important stage.

Before we begin quarreling about the outcome of the main event, let’s all do ourselves a favor and go watch the fight again. Not to see who scored more takedowns in round two, not to count who landed more significant strikes in round four, but to enjoy a damn good fight. In the latest installment of back-and-forth Lightweight title fights, Frankie Edgar showed the heart and determination that earned him the belt in the first place. Those disappointed that he didn’t survive a near-death experience in round 1 got their wish as the second frame wound down. A perfectly placed up-kick dropped the champion, opening his nose like a spigot. But it wouldn’t be a Frankie Edgar fight if he didn’t prove his mettle, and “The Answer” proved once again that he doesn’t have an ‘off switch’, only a ‘reset button’. The champ battled back and looked no worse for wear in rounds 3-5 (aside from his battered face, of course), but at the end of the fight the scorecards didn’t add up in his favor.

For those of you upset at the decision, of whom there are undoubtedly many, take comfort in the fact that Benson Henderson fought like a champion last night. While you may not agree with the judges’ tally, there can’t be any disappointment in having a champion that performs like he does. Henderson exhibited powerful, dynamic striking from the opening bell and he never stopped moving forward. He brought the fight to Frankie standing up and on the ground and was fighting for the finish; it’s not his fault that Edgar can’t be put away. Both men fought beyond expectations and together they earned the $65k “Fight of the Night” bonus.

Edgar’s reign was hallmarked by closely contested battles and instant rematches, and that streak shouldn’t end now. You can argue who won but you can’t argue that it was close, and if anyone deserves a chance to win back his belt it’s Edgar. Dana seems to be leaning toward a different rematch for Henderson in the form of Anthony Pettis. That bout too has an interesting storyline and would yield a night full of fireworks. Either way, the fans will be treated to a blockbuster fight between two competitors that go for broke. If the Japanese fans taught us anything last night, it’s that there’s little else we could ask for.

 


– Chris Colemon

 

Hot Potato: Azusa Nishigaki, UFC 144?s Guest Octagon Girl

 

The UFC returns to Japan tonight for the first time in 11 years, and to commemorate the occasion we’re bringing you 11 photos of UFC 144’s guest Octagon Girl Azusa Nishigaki. Azusa is undoubtedly familiar to those of you who follow the Japanese MMA/Beauty Pageant circuits; she has strutted around the ring previously for Sengoku and was a finalist in the ‘Miss Japan’ competition.

Full photo gallery is after the jump, along with an interview of Ms. Nishigaki by Ariel Helwani.

 

 

The UFC returns to Japan tonight for the first time in 11 years, and to commemorate the occasion we’re bringing you 11 photos of UFC 144′s guest Octagon Girl Azusa Nishigaki. Azusa is undoubtedly familiar to those of you who follow the Japanese MMA/Beauty Pageant circuits; she has strutted around the ring previously for Sengoku and was a finalist in the ‘Miss Japan’ competition.

(via MMAFighting.com)