Since the injury bug has ravaged many of this summer’s biggest MMA cards, Friday’s UFC on FX 4 and Saturday’s UFC 147 did not garner high hopes from critics prior to the bouts due to the fall off of some major stars. But as this past weekend’s warriors proved, a lack of high profile names does not mean a card can not be successful.
The FX card officially kicked off the UFC’s summer of fights and, for the most part, did not disappoint.
WEC crossover Cub Swanson emphatically got the main card started with his Knockout of the Night winning performance over Ross Pearson, while Brian Ebersole once again cartwheeled his way to a unanimous decision victory over TJ Waldburger. However, it was veteran lightweights Sam Stout and Spencer Fisher who stole the show, as they added another exciting chapter to their long history by taking Fight of the Night in their third career meeting.
The night was soured, however, by the baffling main event. Gray Maynard came into the night ready to leave it all on the line while Clay Guida seemed content running a marathon inside the Octagon.
Engaging less and less with Maynard as the fight went on, his fancy footwork may have put the former top contender off his game, but Guida’s strategy was more effective at pissing off the Atlantic City crowd than earning the victory.
And it is this lackluster main event that really cost the FX card the weekend.
In my opinion, the UFC on 147 main card, not including the main event, was filled with great matchups and talented Brazilian prospects, but failed to follow through with consistently exciting fights. Fabricio Werdum was able to quickly finish Mike Russow, but the two The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil finals and the battle between Hacran Dias and Yuri Alcantara did not entirely meet expectations.
All three fights were good back-and-forth battles, but none ended in an exciting finish that fans have become accustomed to when watching top level Brazilian prospects.
What turned UFC 147 from a decent card into one of the more interesting ones of the year was the main event battle between former Pride champ Wanderlei Silva and former UFC champ Rich Franklin. Continuing where they left off at UFC 99, these legends took it to another level as they put on one of the most exciting fights of the year.
“The Axe Murderer” was in rare form as fans were treated to a vintage performance that was nearly capped by a second round finish. Franklin was equally as impressive and really showed why he’s a former champ by not only surviving Silva’s barrage but also by turning the tables in the third round.
Both men left it all in the Octagon, up until the last second, as they punched their way to the final bell.
This battle of wills not only stole the night, but the entire weekend. Silva-Franklin washed away the bad taste left by the Guida-Maynard bout and proved that these aging veterans can still put on a show.
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