It may not have had the hype and attention of March 5’s UFC 196, but last night’s (March, 19, 2016) UFC Fight Night 85 from the Brisbane Entertainment Center in Brisbane, Australia, was undoubtedly a scintillating card that provided a diverse mix of action-packed entertainment for fans Down Under. The fighters who contributed most to the
It may not have had the hype and attention of March 5’s UFC 196, but last night’s (March, 19, 2016) UFC Fight Night 85 from the Brisbane Entertainment Center in Brisbane, Australia, was undoubtedly a scintillating card that provided a diverse mix of action-packed entertainment for fans Down Under.
The fighters who contributed most to the successful night were warded with a traditional post-fight bonus, and not surprisingly, heavyweight fan favorite Mark Hunt earned the first $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus for his first-round walkoff knockout of former champion Frank Mir. With his latest post-fight bonus, Hunt tied Roy Nelson and Travis Browne for the most in UFC heavyweight history with six.
The second “Performance of the Night” very deservedly went to Neil Magny, who weathered an early storm from Hector Lombard to win their co-main event bout with an absolutely vicious second and third-round swarm on the once-hyped champion.
Finally, “Fight of the Night” went to lightweight prospects Jake Matthews and Johnny Case for their back-and-forth battle that the 21-year-ld Matthews own with an emphatic rear-naked choke in front of his hometown Australian crowd, marking a clean sweep of the bonuses for the top three bouts on the main card.
Tonight’s (March, 19, 2016) UFC Fight Night 85 from the Brisbane Entertainment Center in Brisbane, Australia, is in the books and delivered a heavy-hitting night of action for the Aussie fans. In the main event, Mark Hunt knocked out former two-time heavyweight champion Frank Mir with one punch (watch it here), who made his record-tying 27th walk
Tonight’s (March, 19, 2016) UFC Fight Night 85 from the Brisbane Entertainment Center in Brisbane, Australia, is in the books and delivered a heavy-hitting night of action for the Aussie fans.
In the main event, Mark Hunt knocked out former two-time heavyweight champion Frank Mir with one punch (watch it here), who made his record-tying 27th walk to the Octagon in Brisbane.
Neil Magny upset favored Hector Lombard with a vicious TKO in the co-main event after nearly getting stopped himself early on.
Join LowKickMMA.com for the event post-fight press conference starting at approximately 1:30 a.m. EST:
Popular heavyweight slugger Mark Hunt was looking to make a splash in his native Australia when he met former champion Frank Mir in the main event of tonight’s (March, 19, 2016) UFC Fight Night 85 from the Brisbane Entertainment Center in Brisbane, Australia, and he did just that. Adding another victim to his long list of walkoff
Popular heavyweight slugger Mark Hunt was looking to make a splash in his native Australia when he met former champion Frank Mir in the main event of tonight’s (March, 19, 2016) UFC Fight Night 85 from the Brisbane Entertainment Center in Brisbane, Australia, and he did just that.
Adding another victim to his long list of walkoff knockouts, it only took one big punch from the ‘Super Samoan’ with a big right hand behind the ear just over three minutes into the fight that had Mir staring up at the lights.
Mark Hunt vs. Frank Mir: Mike Drahota: There may not be much more than the potential of an all-out slugfest featuring Hunt against a former champ in his native Australia, but this fight should at least deliver that. Obviously the edge goes to Hunt if he can keep the fight standing despite Mir’s recent improvements
There may not be much more than the potential of an all-out slugfest featuring Hunt against a former champ in his native Australia, but this fight should at least deliver that. Obviously the edge goes to Hunt if he can keep the fight standing despite Mir’s recent improvements in that area, and ‘The Super Samoan’ has certainly looked in great shape recently. But his weakness has always been submissions, and there may be no more of a diverse and dangerous finisher on the mat than Mir. If the two-time former champ can weather the storm to tire Hunt out even a bit, he should open up the doors for a submission. Mir via round two submission.
Rory Kernaghan:
Frank Mir and Mark Hunt are two of the most well-traveled heavyweights who are still actively fighting. In terms of mixed martial arts, Mir is the more accomplished, and certainly has a huge advantage on the mat, but he faces in ‘The Super Samoan’ a K-1 champion with seriously meaty hands. The issue that stands out to me in this fight is that Mir has a tendency to test his stand-up in the Octagon, even against clearly more dangerous fighters, and it can prove costly for the former heavyweight champion. Of course we know Mir has some serious knockout power, but he’d be foolish to keep this standing against a one-punch finisher like Hunt. Although his durability has improved recently, I just don’t see Mir withstanding the punishing blows of Hunt for even one round. It pains me to say it, but I see a brutal knockout win for Hunt in the first round.
Mike Henken:
Both men have looked somewhat solid as of late with Hunt finishing Antonio Silva in his last bout and Mir winning two of his last three, albeit most recently dropping a decision to Andrei Arlovski. In my opinion, “The Super Samoan” holds the clear striking advantage here in terms of power and experience, while Mir most definitely holds the grappling advantage. I feel as if Mir’s striking has improved enough to avoid Hunt’s big shots, and drag this fight to the mat where I ultimately see him finishing the bout. Mir by third-round submission.
Hector Lombard vs. Neil Magny:
Mike Drahota:
This match-up I kind of a strange bout for Lombard, but it nonetheless could be a dangerous one for the aging former champion who is coming off suspension. Magny has looked like one of the best up-and-coming prospects in the stacked welterweight division, with his only loss in his last nine coming on the ground to Demian Maia, hardly a mistake he can be faulted for. Magny will have the far superior reach and technical striking edge on the power-punching Lombard, and with Magny’s weakness submissions, it would be in the Cuban Olympic judoka’s best interest to get this to the ground. But I don’t see it playing out there, as I believe Magny will use his range to pick Lombard apart on the outside to win the upset. I’m picking Magny by decision.
Rory Kernaghan:
Lombard meets Magny in a co-main event that will interest those keen on sports betting. The heavy-handed former Bellator champion ‘Lightning’ (I know, but I refuse to acknowledge ‘Showeather’ as a nickname) is in fact the betting underdog. Magny has the reach for sure, but outside the physical advantages, where can he win this fight? Talking of physicality, expect to see a much smaller Lombard if he was in fact abusing steroids, which could also factor in to a lackluster performance if ring rust comes into play too much. Hector has proven to be frustrating for his fans in the Octagon at times, and Magny really has the footwork to negate the smaller man’s abilities to get planted and land bombs. The possibility of a KO is there for ‘Lightning,’ but I don’t see him outlasting the athletic Magny. I’m taking Magny by unanimous decision.
Mike Henken:
Despite recently serving out a suspension, Lombard has looked like a rejuvenated man at 170 pounds, possessing high-level grappling skills along with brute strength. Magny is a very well rounded contender, winning his last two bouts. While he does have potential to make some noise in the division, I expect to see Magny fall to a hungry and motivated Lombard. Lombard by round two TKO.
Top-ranked heavyweights Mark Hunt and Frank Mir are headed for a pivotal clash in the main event of this Saturday’s (March, 19, 2016) UFC Fight Night 85 from the Brisbane Entertainment Center in Brisbane, Australia, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a little fun with one another in the build-up to the fight. That
Top-ranked heavyweights Mark Hunt and Frank Mir are headed for a pivotal clash in the main event of this Saturday’s (March, 19, 2016) UFC Fight Night 85 from the Brisbane Entertainment Center in Brisbane, Australia, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a little fun with one another in the build-up to the fight.
That was the case at Thursday’s UFC Fight Night 85 Media Day staredowns, where ‘The Super Samoan’ definitely took the edge off by removing his shirt when he noticed that he and Mir somehow showed up in the same clothes, inciting a bit of humor in a time that is supposed to be tense.
Check out the video from our friends Submission Radio right here:
I’ve always been a bit of an oddball MMA fan when it comes to picking my “favorite” fighters. While respecting the otherworldly athleticism of a Jon Jones, the otherworldly physique of a Alistair Overeem, or the otherworldly riddum of a Georges St. Pierre, I would never list any of those guys in even my top 10 favorites. What can I say? Being a fan of Jon Jones (the fighter, at least) is just too easy for an anti-establishment renegade like myself — like being a Lakers fan in the early aughts or a Patriots fan ever.
This is all a way of saying that I always found myself drawn to fighters who were more, well, human. I’m talking about the “everymen” of the sport — the guys who started off on the coveted bar fighting circuit or doing a little training on the side before finding out that they had some translatable skills to bring to the game. I’m talking about your old school, cornfed, perpetually 40-year-old-looking dudes who may have never been a champion, but always made sure to 1) show up and 2) turn in a memorable, fan-pleasing performances. I’m talking about your Jeremy Horns, your Chris Lytles, and your Anthony Peroshes.
Which is why I’m both saddened and relieved to learn that, following a pair of tough first round losses to Sean O’Connell and Gian Villante, “The Hippo” will be hanging up his gloves for good.
I’ve always been a bit of an oddball MMA fan when it comes to picking my “favorite” fighters. While respecting the otherworldly athleticism of a Jon Jones, the otherworldly physique of a Alistair Overeem, or the otherworldly riddum of a Georges St. Pierre, I would never list any of those guys in even my top 10 favorites. What can I say? Being a fan of Jon Jones (the fighter, at least) is just too easy for an anti-establishment renegade like myself — like being a Lakers fan in the early aughts or a Patriots fan ever.
This is all a way of saying that I always found myself drawn to fighters who were more, well, human. I’m talking about the “everymen” of the sport — the guys who started off on the coveted bar fighting circuit or doing a little training on the side before finding out that they had some translatable skills to bring to the game. I’m talking about your old school, cornfed, perpetually 40-year-old-looking dudes who may have never been a champion, but always made sure to 1) show up and 2) turn in a memorable, fan-pleasing performances. I’m talking about your Jeremy Horns, your Chris Lytles, and your Anthony Peroshes.
Which is why I’m both saddened and relieved to learn that, following a pair of tough first round losses to Sean O’Connell and Gian Villante, “The Hippo” will be hanging up his gloves for good.
In a statement released on his website last night, Perosh reflected on his up-and-down career with the vigor and optimism of a man half his age, writing.
I’m retiring from fighting in MMA. I‘ve had a great career in MMA spanning 12 years, 25 fights, 15 wins & 5 wins in the UFC all by stoppage and 3 by Rear Naked Choke. I always went out for the win by stoppage and I am proud of what I have achieved in my career.
I am 43 years old (young!) and I told myself I would retire if I either couldn’t keep up with the training, didn’t want it anymore or if I lost more than I won. The last fight camps were hard on me physically and mentally. I didn’t get the win and I knew straight after my last fight that I had had enough. I’m finishing with a UFC record of 5 wins and 4 losses in the Light Heavyweight division.
On the bright side I am retiring with all my mental bearings and apart from the usual wear and tear I am physically fit!
Having kickstarted his professional career a bit later than most of his counterparts — in November of 2003 at 30 years of age — Perosh rattled off 5 stoppage wins alongside one defeat before receiving his first call up to the big leagues. Despite losing back-to-back contests at UFC 61 and 66, Perosh’s unblemished finish rate in victory would be a constant that continued for the entirety of his mixed martial arts career.
Some 7 years and 5 wins later, Perosh would receive a second shot in the UFC, coming in as a late replacement opponent for former PRIDE Grand Prix champion Mirko Cro Cop on the main card of UFC 110.
The loss that Perosh suffered that night would be a violent one, but in it, “The Hippo” demonstrated the kind of stubborn grittiness that would define the latter half of his career. Even more incredible would be the then 38-year-old’s trio of victories over Tom Blackledge, Cyrille Diabate, and Nick Penner that followed (again, all by stoppage).
Perosh’s momentum would be quickly and brutally shut down in July of 2012, however, when he was blitzkrieged by Ryan Jimmo en route to a lightning fast knockout defeat. With the world ready to move past him, Perosh was then booked against former TUF 8 finalist and M-1 champion Vinny Magalhaes at UFC 163. In the lead-up to the fight, Magalhaes’ arrogance was on full display; the young Brazilian called Perosh an “old man” whose Jiu Jitsu “sucked” and stated that if he were to lost to the Australian black belt, he should probably be cut from the UFC.
The fight that followed, while brief, would undoubtedly be a defining moment in Perosh’s career.
From a 7-second loss to an emphatic, 14-second victory, Perosh arguably experience the greatest rebound performance of any fighter in UFC history. “The Hippo” briefly circled to his left and waited for the supposedly superior Jiu Jitsu fighter to charge in for a takedown, and when Magalhaes did exactly that (with zero setup whatsoever), Perosh connected with the first punch — and last necessary punch, if we’re being honest — of the fight. Magalhaes collapsed to the canvas, and from there, Perosh pounced, unleashing a stream of right hands that reawakened and KO’d Magalhaes a few times more before referee Mario Yamasaki could wave off the fight.
In his post-fight interview that night, Perosh admitted to “getting butterflies” in his stomach upon landing his first punch, which he credited to the hard work of his boxing coaches, before telling Magalhaes to “start looking for a new job.” It was a rare moment of smack talk from the typically reserved Perosh, made all the more effective by the hilariously karmatic ass-whooping it proceeded.
Another tough loss at the hands of Ryan Bader would follow at Fight Night 33, prompting Perosh’s critics to once again call for his retirement. Nevermind the fact that Perosh had managed to gut through the relentless, ground-n-pound onslaught of a current title contender for three rounds without ever giving in at 40+ years of age; clearly, this was a man with nothing left to offer. It was a memo that Perosh apparently didn’t receive before entering the cage his next fight again heralded up-and-comer Guto Inocente, who he would similarly dismantle inside of a round.
In his past couple fights, however, it appears that time has finally caught up to the 43-year-old, who looked a few steps behind the pace of things in his aforementioned losses to O’Connell and Vilante. As he said following his win over Magalhaes, Perosh would only compete until “he didn’t feel he had it in him” anymore, and as a huge fan of the guy, I’m personally glad to see that he’s come to that revelation sooner rather than later. You know, relatively speaking.
You can read Perosh’s full statement over on his website, but for now, let’s all flood his Twitter with our congratulations and thanks to a true pioneer of Australian MMA. Thanks for the memories, Anthony.
