It’s time to step into the Octagon once again for the first of my UFC double-header reviews. With my UFC 147 review a few days away because of technical problems (a heavy rain storm knocked out the signal to my Sky box), we’re beginning with a look at the latest show on American network FX, shown in the early hours of Saturday morning on ESPN here in Britain.
The broadcast began in the featherweight division with Ross Pearson facing Cub Swanson, which was a great way to open the show.
After an initial feeling-out period, both fighters put in good performances in a highly entertaining back-and-forth battle.
Swanson’s striking game looked perfect. His superior speed kept him ahead of the Brit on more than one occasion as he unleashed his combinations and kicks—most of which Pearson just seemed to walk through.
Pearson, for his part, scored with some explosive takedowns followed by some nice ground and pound. Swanson managed to escape every time, though, and scored with the odd up kick.
The end came in the second round. After staggering his man with a front kick, Swanson connected with a right-left combination that sent Pearson crashing. The referee quickly stepped in to halt the action, and Swanson took the TKO win.
The welterweight division was up next with Brian Ebersole facing T.J. Waldburger.
Having witnessed some great striking in the previous fight, we were then treated to some great grappling in this gripping three-round affair.
Waldburger put in some really good stints on the ground, particularly in the first two rounds. He almost got the submission win in the first with a d’arce choke, and also went for a variety of submissions in the second and third.
Ebersole managed to escape every time, and he even came back with some ground and pound, which included well-placed shoulder strikes.
So with the fight going the distance, the judges came into the equation. Everything went to Ebersole.
Lightweight action followed with Sam Stout going against Spencer Fisher.
The third fight of their trilogy proved to be an entertaining affair. They began trading blows early on, and as the fight progressed, Fisher looked as if he was getting the better of the exchanges.
Although he seemed at a slight deficit in the striking department, Stout sought to take the advantage with some impressive takedowns. He put in a good sting on the ground, though Fisher managed to recover every time. The fight ended with a flurry of blows.
Once again, the judges were called into action, and Stout took the unanimous decision.
The main event featured more lightweight action as Gray Maynard faced Clay Guida.
I think the best term to describe this fight would be “interesting.” For five rounds, Guida bounced around the cage as if he’d overdosed on Red Bull. He managed to get in a few good shots and kicks, but these were few and far between.
If this tactic was designed to frustrate Maynard, then it worked a treat. Maynard managed to get in some good blows, but like Guida’s, these were also few and far between. This wasn’t Maynard’s choice, however.
Maynard finally grabbed Guida in the fourth with a Muay Thai clinch before moving onto some dirty boxing. Guida countered with a takedown, but he soon found himself in a guillotine, which he bounced his way out of.
It was pretty much the same in the fifth, and at one point the referee got so annoyed with Guida’s tactics, he gave him a warning for not engaging.
With the fight going the distance, the judges came into play once again. This time they differed in their opinions, and Maynard took the split decision.
In conclusion, the UFC’s latest foray into the world of network television proved to be something of a mixed bag.
The undercard certainly delivered. There were some good performances there—particularly from Cub Swanson and Brian Ebersole—and Swanson’s win over Ross Pearson received my fight of the night honours.
But the main event was one of those frustrating affairs that left you wondering if Clay Guida actually wanted to fight. It brought back unpleasant memories of Kalib Starnes. I can really sympathise with Gray Maynard, and it really says it all about this fight that the fans were cheering wildly for Guida at the beginning and soundly booing him at the end.
The final verdict is that this time around, the UFC received a thumbs up on the strength of its undercard. It would have been the big thumbs up if it had not been for Clay Guida.
Don’t forget to check out my website at twoshedsreview.blogspot.com, as well as my Facebook page at Facebook.com/twoshedsreview.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com