Well, it’s over. 2011 — arguably the biggest year for MMA and the UFC — has come and gone. UFC 141 gave us a night to remember on the way out, and now we charge boldly on into a new year with an even more frantic fight calendar. I hope you’re taking this opportunity to rest up and prepare yourselves, people. Things are only going to get busier.
But before we completely turn our backs on the year that was, let us return one last time to Friday night’s event for a look at the biggest winners, losers, and everything in between from UFC 141. It’s the least we can do.
Biggest Winner: Alistair Overeem
He stood in the center of the Octagon when Lesnar entered, fixing him with a cold, dispassionate stare as the former champ jogged around the perimeter. When Lesnar passed by without so much as a glance in his direction, Overeem turned to his corner and nodded as if to say, Yeah, we got this one. As it turned out, he did. Overeem showed zero fear of Lesnar. He bullied him in the clinch and made him look not just mortal, but downright vulnerable. Was this the one true test of his skills that Overeem’s detractors have been waiting for? Yes and no. He took Lesnar apart “piece by piece,” just like he promised he would, but he also didn’t face many serious takedown threats in the short bout. That might still leave some questions about his wrestling ability, but you can’t doubt that he’s an elite heavyweight who deserves a crack at the title. Not all his fights have been against top competition, but this one was and The Reem looked every bit as good as advertised. It’s time to give this man his due. Hopefully he can get that lawsuit with Golden Glory squared away so he can get his money, too.
Biggest Loser: Brock Lesnar
If he really does call it quits now, MMA history may not be terribly kind to him. His last three fights go a long way toward supporting the theory that Lesnar was the classic bully who folded under attack, and people are more likely to remember the images of him skittering backwards and crumpling to the mat than they are to recall his struggle his diverticulitis and what it may have cost him career-wise. It’s still remarkable to think of what he managed to do in such a short time and with so little prior fight experience. His presence and his success in the sport brought a new level of attention and awareness to the UFC, which is the kind of rising tide that lifts all ships. Even if we don’t remember him as a great heavyweight, we’ll have to recognize his status as one of the true superstars of this little era. It’s just a shame he couldn’t have packed more actual fighting into the few years he spent inside the cage, but if he feels like he wants to retire, then he absolutely should. I just wouldn’t want to be a deer anywhere in North America now that that guy has a lot of free time on his hands.
Most Surprising: Johny Hendricks
Usually the phrase ‘puncher’s chance’ is code for ‘almost no chance at all,’ but Hendricks reminded us that there’s a reason for that particular combat sports cliche. He said afterward that he was motivated by all the people who forgot about the power in his left hand and wrote him off completely in this fight, and I’ll admit I was one. At the same time, the look of elation on his face as he paraded around the Octagon following the TKO stoppage seemed to be mixed with at least a little bit of surprise. He can say he expected to win, but he’s kidding himself if he says he expected to win just like that. Fitch is known as a guy who can take a shot, which is part of what makes Hendricks’ win so impressive. As he was quick to point out, he did what both Georges St-Pierre and B.J. Penn were unable to do. Whether that necessarily puts him among the welterweight elite, we’ll have to wait and see.
Most Impressive in Defeat: Anthony Njokuani
His striking is sharp, but if he can be that easily outwrestled then he might as well find out now. Just a couple more stuffed takedowns here or there and he probably would have beaten Danny Castillo — maybe even finished him. He defended himself well once the fight got to the mat, but that’s not enough in that division. Every potential opponent with a double-leg that’s worth a damn will look at this film and see a blueprint for victory. Njokuani’s job is to make sure that the next person to try and follow it is in for a painful surprise. If he can force people to stand in front of him and play his game, he’ll be in business. If he can’t, he’ll end up as just another striker complaining about being surrounded by wrestlers.
Least Impressive in Victory: Jacob Volkmann
Rarely do you see a fighter whose personality so perfectly matches his fighting style. Both in the cage and in interviews, Volkmann comes off as awkwardly off-putting and the exact opposite of entertaining. The only exciting moments of his decision win over Efrain Escudero came when he nearly got choked out, and his post-fight interview was painfully uncomfortable. Bringing politics into the cage is a risky proposition to begin with, but doing so with a bad joke poorly delivered is the worst of all possible worlds. Watching Volkmann trying to tell a joke in the presence of actual comedian Joe Rogan was like watching Jerry Seinfeld hit mitts with Greg Jackson: it just feels wrong on every level. I’m not sure who is encouraging Volkmann to continue playing this political angle, but they’re doing the man a disservice. He’s got enough of an image problem with his fighting style. He doesn’t need to make it worse by using every interview to demonstrate why comedy should be left to the professionals.
Baddest (Individual): Nate Diaz
Is there anything short of an unexpected drug screening that can make one of the Diaz boys take a step backwards? Just like his brother Nick, Nate Diaz showed why pace, pressure, and a willingness to take a few to give some back is a dangerous combination. He got right in Cerrone’s face and never left, peppering him with blistering punch combos that seemed on the verge of giving “Cowboy” a bad case of whiplash. After the fight, according to Cerrone, Diaz came up and apologized for knocking his $1,000 cowboy hat to the floor at the press conference, telling him, “Here, take mine.” Is it just me, or is Diaz become one of the UFC’s most oddly compelling characters? Whatever the UFC decides to do with him next, the one thing you know is that you could stick him in the cage against Napoleon’s army and he’d at least make a fight of it. The UFC will always have a use for guys like that.
Mr. Self-Awareness: Donald Cerrone
He came out flat-footed and never really got his offense working, and he was the first to admit it. He was also refreshingly candid in the post-fight press conference, admitting that Diaz took it to him and made him eat his words. In a world where excuses and regrets are the preferred armor of each night’s losers, it’s nice to see a guy who can provide such an honest assessment of his own failings. When Cerrone intends to smash your stupid face, he’ll tell you. When he instead got his own face smashed, he’ll tell you that too. He didn’t quite have it against Diaz on Friday night, but he still made sure that fans got their money’s worth, which is why he earned his fourth bonus in five fights. Maybe it wasn’t a perfect year for the “Cowboy,” but it was still a memorable and profitable one.
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Best New Prospect: Jimy Hettes
Dana White admitted that he hadn’t really paid much attention to Hettes prior to UFC 141, but the skinny grappler has his attention now. Nam Phan couldn’t have been more outmatched if he was going up against a tag team, and the judges’ scores reflected as much. I mean, 30-25, 30-26, and 30-26? At that point, the judges might as well stop tallying the numbers and just write ‘BEATDOWN’ across their scorecards. Hettes could obviously use a little more polish, and he’s not ready to be thrown in with the big dogs just yet, but he is someone worth keeping an eye on. If he’s indicative of the next generation of MMA fighters, you can’t help but be very excited about this sport’s future.
Hype Train with an Uncertain Destination: Alexander Gustafsson
Vladimir Matyushenko may be 41 years old, but all you need to do is look at the guy’s record to know that beating him still puts you in pretty solid company. Gustafsson looked more comfortable than we’ve ever seen him in the Octagon, and right away you got the sense that it was only a matter of time until he found a way to end this one. Still, I’m not sure if it’s his size or his youth that has some people whispering about how he’d do against Jon Jones, but those people need to slow their roll. Gustafsson is a talented young fighter, but he’s still a work in progress. He needs to shore up his wrestling if he’s going to jump up to that next level in the light heavyweight division, and that’s not going to happen overnight. All his training partners rave about him, but what he needs right now is time to grow as a fighter. By the same token, he should see if he can’t hurry it up a little. At the rate Jones is slicing through challengers, Gustafsson’s number might come up sooner than he thinks.
Well, it’s over. 2011 — arguably the biggest year for MMA and the UFC — has come and gone. UFC 141 gave us a night to remember on the way out, and now we charge boldly on into a new year with an even more frantic fight calendar. I hope you’re taking this opportunity to rest up and prepare yourselves, people. Things are only going to get busier.
But before we completely turn our backs on the year that was, let us return one last time to Friday night’s event for a look at the biggest winners, losers, and everything in between from UFC 141. It’s the least we can do.
Biggest Winner: Alistair Overeem
He stood in the center of the Octagon when Lesnar entered, fixing him with a cold, dispassionate stare as the former champ jogged around the perimeter. When Lesnar passed by without so much as a glance in his direction, Overeem turned to his corner and nodded as if to say, Yeah, we got this one. As it turned out, he did. Overeem showed zero fear of Lesnar. He bullied him in the clinch and made him look not just mortal, but downright vulnerable. Was this the one true test of his skills that Overeem’s detractors have been waiting for? Yes and no. He took Lesnar apart “piece by piece,” just like he promised he would, but he also didn’t face many serious takedown threats in the short bout. That might still leave some questions about his wrestling ability, but you can’t doubt that he’s an elite heavyweight who deserves a crack at the title. Not all his fights have been against top competition, but this one was and The Reem looked every bit as good as advertised. It’s time to give this man his due. Hopefully he can get that lawsuit with Golden Glory squared away so he can get his money, too.
Biggest Loser: Brock Lesnar
If he really does call it quits now, MMA history may not be terribly kind to him. His last three fights go a long way toward supporting the theory that Lesnar was the classic bully who folded under attack, and people are more likely to remember the images of him skittering backwards and crumpling to the mat than they are to recall his struggle his diverticulitis and what it may have cost him career-wise. It’s still remarkable to think of what he managed to do in such a short time and with so little prior fight experience. His presence and his success in the sport brought a new level of attention and awareness to the UFC, which is the kind of rising tide that lifts all ships. Even if we don’t remember him as a great heavyweight, we’ll have to recognize his status as one of the true superstars of this little era. It’s just a shame he couldn’t have packed more actual fighting into the few years he spent inside the cage, but if he feels like he wants to retire, then he absolutely should. I just wouldn’t want to be a deer anywhere in North America now that that guy has a lot of free time on his hands.
Most Surprising: Johny Hendricks
Usually the phrase ‘puncher’s chance’ is code for ‘almost no chance at all,’ but Hendricks reminded us that there’s a reason for that particular combat sports cliche. He said afterward that he was motivated by all the people who forgot about the power in his left hand and wrote him off completely in this fight, and I’ll admit I was one. At the same time, the look of elation on his face as he paraded around the Octagon following the TKO stoppage seemed to be mixed with at least a little bit of surprise. He can say he expected to win, but he’s kidding himself if he says he expected to win just like that. Fitch is known as a guy who can take a shot, which is part of what makes Hendricks’ win so impressive. As he was quick to point out, he did what both Georges St-Pierre and B.J. Penn were unable to do. Whether that necessarily puts him among the welterweight elite, we’ll have to wait and see.
Most Impressive in Defeat: Anthony Njokuani
His striking is sharp, but if he can be that easily outwrestled then he might as well find out now. Just a couple more stuffed takedowns here or there and he probably would have beaten Danny Castillo — maybe even finished him. He defended himself well once the fight got to the mat, but that’s not enough in that division. Every potential opponent with a double-leg that’s worth a damn will look at this film and see a blueprint for victory. Njokuani’s job is to make sure that the next person to try and follow it is in for a painful surprise. If he can force people to stand in front of him and play his game, he’ll be in business. If he can’t, he’ll end up as just another striker complaining about being surrounded by wrestlers.
Least Impressive in Victory: Jacob Volkmann
Rarely do you see a fighter whose personality so perfectly matches his fighting style. Both in the cage and in interviews, Volkmann comes off as awkwardly off-putting and the exact opposite of entertaining. The only exciting moments of his decision win over Efrain Escudero came when he nearly got choked out, and his post-fight interview was painfully uncomfortable. Bringing politics into the cage is a risky proposition to begin with, but doing so with a bad joke poorly delivered is the worst of all possible worlds. Watching Volkmann trying to tell a joke in the presence of actual comedian Joe Rogan was like watching Jerry Seinfeld hit mitts with Greg Jackson: it just feels wrong on every level. I’m not sure who is encouraging Volkmann to continue playing this political angle, but they’re doing the man a disservice. He’s got enough of an image problem with his fighting style. He doesn’t need to make it worse by using every interview to demonstrate why comedy should be left to the professionals.
Baddest (Individual): Nate Diaz
Is there anything short of an unexpected drug screening that can make one of the Diaz boys take a step backwards? Just like his brother Nick, Nate Diaz showed why pace, pressure, and a willingness to take a few to give some back is a dangerous combination. He got right in Cerrone’s face and never left, peppering him with blistering punch combos that seemed on the verge of giving “Cowboy” a bad case of whiplash. After the fight, according to Cerrone, Diaz came up and apologized for knocking his $1,000 cowboy hat to the floor at the press conference, telling him, “Here, take mine.” Is it just me, or is Diaz become one of the UFC’s most oddly compelling characters? Whatever the UFC decides to do with him next, the one thing you know is that you could stick him in the cage against Napoleon’s army and he’d at least make a fight of it. The UFC will always have a use for guys like that.
Mr. Self-Awareness: Donald Cerrone
He came out flat-footed and never really got his offense working, and he was the first to admit it. He was also refreshingly candid in the post-fight press conference, admitting that Diaz took it to him and made him eat his words. In a world where excuses and regrets are the preferred armor of each night’s losers, it’s nice to see a guy who can provide such an honest assessment of his own failings. When Cerrone intends to smash your stupid face, he’ll tell you. When he instead got his own face smashed, he’ll tell you that too. He didn’t quite have it against Diaz on Friday night, but he still made sure that fans got their money’s worth, which is why he earned his fourth bonus in five fights. Maybe it wasn’t a perfect year for the “Cowboy,” but it was still a memorable and profitable one.
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Best New Prospect: Jimy Hettes
Dana White admitted that he hadn’t really paid much attention to Hettes prior to UFC 141, but the skinny grappler has his attention now. Nam Phan couldn’t have been more outmatched if he was going up against a tag team, and the judges’ scores reflected as much. I mean, 30-25, 30-26, and 30-26? At that point, the judges might as well stop tallying the numbers and just write ‘BEATDOWN’ across their scorecards. Hettes could obviously use a little more polish, and he’s not ready to be thrown in with the big dogs just yet, but he is someone worth keeping an eye on. If he’s indicative of the next generation of MMA fighters, you can’t help but be very excited about this sport’s future.
Hype Train with an Uncertain Destination: Alexander Gustafsson
Vladimir Matyushenko may be 41 years old, but all you need to do is look at the guy’s record to know that beating him still puts you in pretty solid company. Gustafsson looked more comfortable than we’ve ever seen him in the Octagon, and right away you got the sense that it was only a matter of time until he found a way to end this one. Still, I’m not sure if it’s his size or his youth that has some people whispering about how he’d do against Jon Jones, but those people need to slow their roll. Gustafsson is a talented young fighter, but he’s still a work in progress. He needs to shore up his wrestling if he’s going to jump up to that next level in the light heavyweight division, and that’s not going to happen overnight. All his training partners rave about him, but what he needs right now is time to grow as a fighter. By the same token, he should see if he can’t hurry it up a little. At the rate Jones is slicing through challengers, Gustafsson’s number might come up sooner than he thinks.
Filed under: UFCDanny Castillo hung on for a tough split decision victory over Anthony Njokuani at UFC 141 on Friday night, using his suprior grappling to win the first and third rounds and withstanding a barrage of strikes from Njokuani in the second….
Danny Castillo hung on for a tough split decision victory over Anthony Njokuani at UFC 141 on Friday night, using his suprior grappling to win the first and third rounds and withstanding a barrage of strikes from Njokuani in the second.
The crowd in Las Vegas booed the decision, but it was the right one: Castillo deserved to win 29-28, as he did on two cards. One judge gave it to Njokuani 29-28.
“I thought it was close but not controversial,” Castillo said. “I thought it was close. He might have won the second.”
In the first round we saw exactly what we expected: The classic striker vs. grappler fight, with Njokuani landing a couple of good punches in the first minute of the first round but Castillo then grabbing hold of Njokuani, clinching him against the fence and eventually taking him down. Castillo spent most of the rest of the round in a dominant position, and although Njokuani did briefly turn the tables and attempt a guillotine choke, Castillo simply picked Njokuani up and slammed him down to escape. It was a good first round for Castillo.
In the second round Njokuani was more patient and waited to pick the right shots, and that paid off: Njokuani landed a hard punch that wobbled Castillo and then controlled Castillo in a Thai clinch and landed knees. Eventually Castillo managed to grab a leg and take Njokuani down, but the second round was a good one for Njokuani.
The third round demonstrated Njokuani’s fatal flaw: He’s simply too one-dimensional a fighter. Castillo grabbed hold of Njokuani early in the third round, took him down, and largely controlled the final five minutes with his grappling, which Njokuani had no answer for. Castillo deserved the decision, and he got it.
(At least there will always be this to tide us over.)
Bad news for any of you Brits out there planning on attending UFC 138 (because, let’s be honest, you will be the only ones doing so.) Word has it that Paul Taylor has suffered minor whiplash as a result of a recent rear-end collision he was involved in and will not be competing in his main card lightweight clash with Anthony Njokuani.
As you may or may not remember, this is not the first time Taylor has been forced to pull out of a fight at the last minute. Back at UFC 112, he was deemed medically unfit to compete just days before his bout with John Gunderson after suffering a severe migraine as a result of his weight cut. This marks the third total fight in Taylor’s UFC career that he has withdrawn from as a result of injury. One more, and he will be entering James Irvin territory, which is second only to Cabrini-Green in terms of places no one ever wants to find themself.
(At least there will always be this to tide us over.)
Bad news for any of you Brits out there planning on attending UFC 138 (because, let’s be honest, you will be the only ones doing so.) Word has it that Paul Taylor has suffered minor whiplash as a result of a recent rear-end collision he was involved in and will not be competing in his main card lightweight clash with Anthony Njokuani.
As you may or may not remember, this is not the first time Taylor has been forced to pull out of a fight at the last minute. Back at UFC 112, he was deemed medically unfit to compete just days before his bout with John Gunderson after suffering a severe migraine as a result of his weight cut. This marks the third total fight in Taylor’s UFC career that he has withdrawn from as a result of injury. One more, and he will be entering James Irvin territory, which is second only to Cabrini-Green in terms of places no one ever wants to find themself.
Taylor, who most recently shellacked UFC punching bag/Paris Hilton trainer Gabe Rudiger back at UFC 126, has gone 3-3 in his last 6 bouts, with all of those victories coming over now released fighters. Njokuani on the other hand, is coming off an impressive decision victory over TUF 9 finalist Andre Winner, but will now be forced to withdraw from the card due to a lack of a replaceable opponent.
Moving up to the main card as a result will be the light heavyweight bout between Australian submission specialist Anthony “Hippo” Perosh and French stiker Cyrille Diabate. After going 0-2 in his first UFC tour of duty, Perosh was called back to the big leagues at UFC 110, where he suffered a second round doctor stoppage loss to Mirko Cro Cop. Perosh was able to bounce back and earn his first UFC win at UFC 127 however, scoring a first round rear-naked choke over Tom Blackledge.
He is facing a tough test in Diabate, a lethal striker and PRIDE veteran who has gone 2-1 in his octagon career, scoring perhaps his most notable victory in his debut, where he knocked out Luis Cane in just over 2 minutes. After suffering a second round submission in his sophomore match to Alexander Gustafsson, “The Snake” will be looking to build on his most recent victory, a somewhat lackluster decision over Steve Cantwell at UFC on Versus 3.
UFC 138 is set to transpire on November 5th and will be broadcast live in the US on Spike.
Well people, hopefully you are enjoying a day off with some barbecued animal carcass and a nice cold beer (or some grilled zucchini and tofu scramble, whatever scratches your itch). Join us as we look back on the action from UFC 132 and what we can take away from a card that as wild and unpredictable as this one. If a story comes out that some guy hit an eleven fight parley, we’re going to track him down and burn him as a sorcerer. Seriously, there’s playing a hunch, and then there’s invoking demons to influence the reality on our plane of existence.
First, some things must not be spoken of.
Like Wanderlei Silva losing, or Tito Ortiz winning. Sometimes, great reflection is required to glean the lessons of life from events that at first seem incomprehensible. Sometimes, understanding must elude us forever.
Come on in and let’s talk five things.
No caption needed, really.
Well people, hopefully you are enjoying a day off with some barbecued animal carcass and a nice cold beer (or some grilled zucchini and tofu scramble, whatever scratches your itch). Join us as we look back on the action from UFC 132 and what we can take away from a card that as wild and unpredictable as this one. If a story comes out that some guy hit an eleven fight parley, we’re going to track him down and burn him as a sorcerer. Seriously, there’s playing a hunch, and then there’s invoking demons to influence the reality on our plane of existence.
First, some things must not be spoken of.
Like Wanderlei Silva losing, or Tito Ortiz winning. Sometimes, great reflection is required to glean the lessons of life from events that at first seem incomprehensible. Sometimes, understanding must elude us forever.
Come on in and let’s talk five things.
1. Best card EVAR?
Well, no — probably not. Wanderlei lost, so it can’t be best card ever. We might have to do some research to decide which ones were better, though. The card was ludicrously stacked on paper; even the undercard fights were charged up with guys like Anthony Njokuani, Melvin Guillard, and George Sotiropoulos ready for action, plus Bowles-Mizugaki was an opportunity for someone to claim dibs on the next bantamweight title shot. And holydamnshitwow it delivered. If you were one of those people that complains about lackluster shows before anyone gets their hands wrapped, slap yourself. Now do it again, but harder. Between UFC 132 and UFC Live: Kongo vs Barry, we hope you’ve learned not to try to play jaded psychic MMA fan anymore. Seriously, you look like a tool.
2. Hey, these WEC guys are pretty alright.
Both in terms of carrying the marquee, and in terms of how they stack up in the UFC. Anthony Njokuani got bumped up to the Spike broadcast for Tekkenizing Andre Winner, which we were happy to see. One-time WEC middleweight champ Chris Leben is working to carve out a top five spot for himself in the division, despite being written off pretty much always. Aaron Simpson is a WEC vet; he was exciting there. Plus this Condit fellow with the knee is pretty outstanding. If MMA followed BJ Penn’s rules, Carlos Condit would be 26-3 and in the GOAT conversation. Ok, Shane Roller had a rough fight, but he’ll be back.
3. MMA Judging is …. whatever, man these guys might as well flip coins.
We as much as anyone are willing to complain hysterically about bad decisions, but really, with fights as close as Cruz-Faber or Siver-Wiman, we’re willing to concede that it is possible that judges can turn in scores that are diametrically opposed to our own, without being under the influence of blindness, insanity, mental incompetence, or cash money. Tiny differences in how individuals see a fight account for total disagreement in who won the bout, and we’re just going to have to resign ourselves to that under the current judging criteria. (More liberal use of 10-8 and 10-10 rounds could be a relatively low impact experiment, though, right?)
4. What’s up with Brian Bowles?
People from West Virginia are crazy. All of ‘em, crazier than KhaosWar Machine von Datsik on whatever it was that Rampage was drinking. Yet even fueled by what we assume to be reality-altering powers of psychoenergy, Bowles didn’t impress with his anything Saturday night. The former champ is going to need the eye of the tiger to get back to title contention. Plus, player, did you break your hand again? Someone never took their kung fu movies seriously. Calcium supplements aren’t on the banned list, are they?
5. Cue up Cruz-Faber 3.
The casual crowd is still catching on to these lighter weight classes, and chances are they enjoyed the bout. Why not go ahead and finish the best of three series? Cruz and Faber are so evenly-matched and so exhaustingly energetic that we’d sign on to watch those two fight three times a year. The dislike between the two doesn’t hurt either. Yes, Sean Shelby is talking about maybe Mighty Mouse, who we like, but the rubber match would generate way more interest. Strike when the iron is hot, people.
LAS VEGAS – MMA Fighting caught up with Anthony Njokuani after his UFC 132 win against Andre Winner. Njokuani talks about his dominating first round, how he’s getting closer to become a “complete fighter,” and how his newborn son has inspired him.
LAS VEGAS – MMA Fighting caught up with Anthony Njokuani after his UFC 132 win against Andre Winner. Njokuani talks about his dominating first round, how he’s getting closer to become a “complete fighter,” and how his newborn son has inspired him.
LAS VEGAS — This is the UFC 132 undercard live blog for the four non-televised preliminary bouts in support of tonight’s UFC pay-per-view at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The bouts are Brian Bowles vs. Takeya Mizugaki, Aaron Simpson vs. Brad Tavares, Anthony Njokuani vs. Andre Winner and Jeff Hougland vs. Donny Walker.
The first bout is scheduled to begin at 6:15p.m. ET.
Both men working their punches from a safe, yet not terribly effective distance early on. A sharp right hook from Njokuani catches Winner flush on the jaw. In Winner’s corner, Paul Daley encourages him to get his counters working. Njokuani tries a spinning back elbow that gets jammed up, but then ducks under a Winner punch and lands a nice right hook counter. Njokuani is just a little sharper with his punches right now. Good right uppercut stings Winner. Njokuani slips a jab and fires a right. Daley tells Winner not to jab at his head anymore. Must be nice for Njokuani to know that. Njokuani nails Winner with a hard shot and Winner wobbles back. Njokuani goes in full attack mode now, hammering him with right hands and brutal knees. Winner is reeling, but still on his feet. Njokuani just brutalizing Winner now. Referee Yves Lavigne taking a hard look at it, but somehow Winner survives the round, though he’s not looking so pretty. MMA Fighting scores it 10-8 for Njokuani.
Round 2:
Amazingly, Winner seems to have recovered well in the 60 seconds between rounds. His face still shows signs of the beating, but he’s moving well and his punches still have snap. Njokuani stings him with a hard shot that staggers him, and Winner eats another dose of knees against the cage before managing to turn Njokuani. Back to work in the center of the cage after a referee restart, Winner’s corner implores him to feint and move, but it’s all he can do not to get brutalized by Njokuani at the moment. They end the round with Njokuani looking perhaps a little fatigued from his efforts to finish. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Njokuani.
Jeff Hougland vs. Donny Walker
Round 1:
Houghland starts us off with some inside leg kicks. Walker comes in with a right hand and Houghland drops under for a takedown. Walker trying to work the high guard, but Houghland stands up out of it and goes to work with punches from the top. Walker tries to tie him up from the bottom, but Houghland smashes him with a hard elbow in close. Houghland stacks Walker against the cage and sinks an arm-in guillotine. He falls back with it, but Walker doesn’t see too concerned. He holds on and Houghland is eventually forced to relinquish it, with Walker now working from the top. Walker forces Houghland’s ankles up over his head, drawing a titter from the crowd, then works for an anaconda choke, but can’t complete it. Houghland does a nice job of scrambling up off the bottom and puts Walker on his back again. Walker tries for a toe hold in the final seconds, but he’s not even close. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Houghland.
Round 2:
It’s back to a kicking contest to start the second round. Houghland is the busier fighter on the feet, which counts for a lot in the judges’ eyes. Nice right hand by Houghland, followed by one from Walker. They’re both opening up with punches now, and Houghland is cut above his eye, near the bridge of his nose. Walker’s trying to come forward behind his left hook, but his punches seem to have lost a lot of their snap. Houghland tries a front kick and Walker seems to think it caught him in the groin. I’ll take his word for it. After the restart Walker attacks Houghland’s legs with kicks, but Houghland hurts him with a punch and knee and then drops immediately into another guillotine. He must think it’s his ace in the hole, but Walker is hanging out in there just fine. Houghland adjusts and squeezes with everything he’s got in the final ten seconds, but Walker lasts until the horn. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Houghland.
Round 3:
Walker seems to have a sense of desperation to start the final round. He comes after Houghland hard right off the bat and then stops a Houghland takedown attempt by faceplanting him into the mat. Walker moves for the anaconda again and Houghland goes to his back before locking up an armbar. Walker is in trouble, so he lifts Houghland up and slams his way out. Houghland transitions for a triangle choke, but it’s not there. Walker seems content to survive on top for now, and that prompts a restart by Yamasaki. Houghland goes for another takedown and gets stopped and but on bottom again, but works for the sweep and eventually manages to put Walker on his back. They finish the fight with both men frantically throwing punches and elbows — Houghland from the top and Walker from the bottom — but it’s more light than heat. MMA Fighting scores 10-9 for Walker.
Jeff Houghland def. Donny Walker via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
LAS VEGAS — This is the UFC 132 undercard live blog for the four non-televised preliminary bouts in support of tonight’s UFC pay-per-view at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The bouts are Brian Bowles vs. Takeya Mizugaki, Aaron Simpson vs. Brad Tavares, Anthony Njokuani vs. Andre Winner and Jeff Hougland vs. Donny Walker.
The first bout is scheduled to begin at 6:15p.m. ET.
Both men working their punches from a safe, yet not terribly effective distance early on. A sharp right hook from Njokuani catches Winner flush on the jaw. In Winner’s corner, Paul Daley encourages him to get his counters working. Njokuani tries a spinning back elbow that gets jammed up, but then ducks under a Winner punch and lands a nice right hook counter. Njokuani is just a little sharper with his punches right now. Good right uppercut stings Winner. Njokuani slips a jab and fires a right. Daley tells Winner not to jab at his head anymore. Must be nice for Njokuani to know that. Njokuani nails Winner with a hard shot and Winner wobbles back. Njokuani goes in full attack mode now, hammering him with right hands and brutal knees. Winner is reeling, but still on his feet. Njokuani just brutalizing Winner now. Referee Yves Lavigne taking a hard look at it, but somehow Winner survives the round, though he’s not looking so pretty. MMA Fighting scores it 10-8 for Njokuani.
Round 2:
Amazingly, Winner seems to have recovered well in the 60 seconds between rounds. His face still shows signs of the beating, but he’s moving well and his punches still have snap. Njokuani stings him with a hard shot that staggers him, and Winner eats another dose of knees against the cage before managing to turn Njokuani. Back to work in the center of the cage after a referee restart, Winner’s corner implores him to feint and move, but it’s all he can do not to get brutalized by Njokuani at the moment. They end the round with Njokuani looking perhaps a little fatigued from his efforts to finish. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Njokuani.
Jeff Hougland vs. Donny Walker
Round 1:
Houghland starts us off with some inside leg kicks. Walker comes in with a right hand and Houghland drops under for a takedown. Walker trying to work the high guard, but Houghland stands up out of it and goes to work with punches from the top. Walker tries to tie him up from the bottom, but Houghland smashes him with a hard elbow in close. Houghland stacks Walker against the cage and sinks an arm-in guillotine. He falls back with it, but Walker doesn’t see too concerned. He holds on and Houghland is eventually forced to relinquish it, with Walker now working from the top. Walker forces Houghland’s ankles up over his head, drawing a titter from the crowd, then works for an anaconda choke, but can’t complete it. Houghland does a nice job of scrambling up off the bottom and puts Walker on his back again. Walker tries for a toe hold in the final seconds, but he’s not even close. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Houghland.
Round 2:
It’s back to a kicking contest to start the second round. Houghland is the busier fighter on the feet, which counts for a lot in the judges’ eyes. Nice right hand by Houghland, followed by one from Walker. They’re both opening up with punches now, and Houghland is cut above his eye, near the bridge of his nose. Walker’s trying to come forward behind his left hook, but his punches seem to have lost a lot of their snap. Houghland tries a front kick and Walker seems to think it caught him in the groin. I’ll take his word for it. After the restart Walker attacks Houghland’s legs with kicks, but Houghland hurts him with a punch and knee and then drops immediately into another guillotine. He must think it’s his ace in the hole, but Walker is hanging out in there just fine. Houghland adjusts and squeezes with everything he’s got in the final ten seconds, but Walker lasts until the horn. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Houghland.
Round 3:
Walker seems to have a sense of desperation to start the final round. He comes after Houghland hard right off the bat and then stops a Houghland takedown attempt by faceplanting him into the mat. Walker moves for the anaconda again and Houghland goes to his back before locking up an armbar. Walker is in trouble, so he lifts Houghland up and slams his way out. Houghland transitions for a triangle choke, but it’s not there. Walker seems content to survive on top for now, and that prompts a restart by Yamasaki. Houghland goes for another takedown and gets stopped and but on bottom again, but works for the sweep and eventually manages to put Walker on his back. They finish the fight with both men frantically throwing punches and elbows — Houghland from the top and Walker from the bottom — but it’s more light than heat. MMA Fighting scores 10-9 for Walker.
Jeff Houghland def. Donny Walker via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Well, it’s over. 2011 — arguably the biggest year for MMA and the UFC — has come and gone. UFC 141 gave us a night to remember on the way out, and now we charge boldly on into a new year with an even more frantic fight calendar. I hope you’re taking this opportunity to rest up and prepare yourselves, people. Things are only going to get busier.
