Mark “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” Muñoz and Yushin “Thunder” Okami both caught the same fight-ending thundering wallop inside the Octagon.
Muñoz’s happened three years ago in UFC 96; Okami’s came only last Saturday night on UFC 144.
The Filipino-American was sent to dreamland in the first round in Ohio, USA; the Japanese fell in the third and last round in his home country in Saitama, Japan.
The Filipino Wrecking Machine got wrecked in his UFC debut by Matt Hamill. On the other hand, the Thunder was silenced as a veteran by Tim Boetsch, his second consecutive KO loss, coming off a failed title shot courtesy of champion Anderson Silva.
No matter the circumstantial differences, both Muñoz and Okami met the same sleep-inducing head kick that cost them their consciousness and respective fights. (Though he didn’t fall instantaneously, it was still the kick that staggered Okami and enabled Boetsch to pummel and finish him off.)
As it happened to him first, Muñoz shared this humble assessment about his fight versus Hamill during his press conference last February 20 in Pasig City, Philippines:
He never kicked [in his previous fights]. I never really saw he was gonna kick, then I saw this big white foot coming at me.
Muñoz admitted that he was relatively raw and more of a pure wrestler when he debuted in the UFC versus Hamill, having competed in MMA previously in WEC and other promotions for less than two years.
The former NCAA Division I wrestling champion also confessed that that loss was what compelled him to concentrate more on striking, making him brave L.A. traffic for seven months to train with famed boxing trainer Freddie Roach.
Muñoz rightfully believes that his vast improvement in striking took him to where he is now, as one of the top middleweight MMA fighters of the world.
Easier said than done, especially in hindsight and from the couch, but all MMA fighters must learn this lesson from Muñoz and Okami’s losses: be prepared for any of the various attacks allowed in MMA.
A particular attack may not be your opponent’s bread and butter, but he might just pull it off as a deadly surprise.
“Protect yourself at all times” and keep your eyes wide open.
Otherwise, another speeding big white foot may come along, and you’ll never know what hit you.
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