Two kicks + two mangled testes = two points?(Photo: UFC.com)
Controversial decisions weren’t limited to the feature bout at UFC 143, my friends. From scrotum to scorecard, there’s much to break down from the undercard action.
Fabricio Werdum put on a striking clinic against the slightly less-hefty Roy Nelson. Werdum put together crisp, powerful combinations and launched a torrent of knees from the clinch to bloody “Big Country” up. It was a welcome rebound from his performance against Overeem and a promising re-introduction to the Octagon. Nelson has an incredibly tough chin—proven by the sheer number of bombs he takes fight after fight—and a heart as big as they come—what else could pump that much blood out of his face?–but that’s not enough to make it in the UFC’s heavyweight division. He’s served as a very game punching bag for much of his post-TUF career, and it’s not a good look. On the positive side, his refusal to die in the cage did help the duo score the evening’s $65k ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus.
Two kicks + two mangled testes = two points?(Photo: UFC.com)
Controversial decisions weren’t limited to the feature bout at UFC 143, my friends. From scrotum to scorecard, there’s much to break down from the undercard action.
Fabricio Werdum put on a striking clinic against the slightly less-hefty Roy Nelson. Werdum put together crisp, powerful combinations and launched a torrent of knees from the clinch to bloody “Big Country” up. It was a welcome rebound from his performance against Overeem and a promising re-introduction to the Octagon. Nelson has an incredibly tough chin—proven by the sheer number of bombs he takes fight after fight—and a heart as big as they come—what else could pump that much blood out of his face?–but that’s not enough to make it in the UFC’s heavyweight division. He’s served as a very game punching bag for much of his post-TUF career, and it’s not a good look. On the positive side, his refusal to die in the cage did help the duo score the evening’s $65k ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus.
Josh Koshcheck managed to eek out an incredibly close split decision over Mike Pierce. Not only was this bout a big step up for Pierce, it was one that he publicly campaigned for. He worked his jab and out-struck the now-former AKA product throughout the fight as Koscheck shopped around for a home for his big right hand. It was the sort of dirty, grueling bout that Pierce typically employees, but it wasn’t enough to take home the ‘W’ in the judges’ eyes. Still, it was a solid showing against a highly ranked opponent. We don’t know what prompted Koscheck’s post-fight departure from AKA or how that may have effected his performance, but time will tell. As for those boos from the crowd, was it just me or did they actually seem to bother the happiest heel in the sport?
Renan Pegado proved what didn’t need proving: a 27-fight win streak is not just a run of good luck. “Barao” used an arsenal of kicks to punish Scott Jorgensen and keep him at bay. Coupled with his outstanding takedown defense, the Brazilian was in full control of this bout from the opening bell until the unanimous decision win was announced. It was a lopsided win over a tough opponent, and you can bet his fellow bantamweights took notice.
Ed Herman and Clifford Starks showed up to bang, but it was the ground game that mattered most. Herman threw uppercuts like they were going out of style, but Starks showed impressive power as he crowded “Short Fuse” against the cage and connected with a spate of worrisome right hands. Round one was a back and forth of heavy exchanges until Herman took Starks down to end the frame. Round two saw more reserved striking before Herman executed a trip takedown from the clinch and promply sunk in the rear naked choke. This marked Starks’ first loss and Herman’s third straight victory since his return to action in 2011.
In typical fashion, the evening’s prelim fighters put on quite the show, netting both of the evening’s fight-ending bonuses. UFC newcomer Stephen Thompson put on a karate clinic is his memorable ‘Knock Out of the Night’ win over Daniel Stittgen. With his sideways stance and unorthodox kicks, “Wonderboy” kept Stittgen guessing until finding a home for his highlight reel kick in the final minute of the first round. In a battle of young guns, Featherweights Dustin Poirier and Max Holloway came out swinging. Poirier landed heavy shots and his 20-year-old opponent was game to return fire, but once Poirier slammed him to the mat it was game over. “The Diamond” quickly took mount and attempted an armbar then a triangle before returning to mount and securing both in the evening’s ‘Submission of the Night’.
While both Thompson and Poirier’s victories increased their purses, Edwin Figueroa saw his mashed and mangled in route to a controversial decision win. He went toe-to-toe with Alex Caceras standing, but found himself in constant defensive mode on the ground. What could have been a clear victory for “Bruce Leeroy” was tarnished by a pair of accidental ball-breaking kicks to the groin. Twice Figueroa doubled over in pain, leaving us to wonder if he’d return from the five minute hiatus. Caceras was first warned by Herb Dean for the unintended low blow, but was docked two points on the second infraction. While Herb Dean has taken two points for low blows once before, it is far outside the norm. The kicks had to take a major toll on “El Feroz” and hamper his performance, but at the end of the day I don’t think the better fighter got his hand raised.
“Come on, Nick. Tell us how you *really* feel.” (Video: ZombieProphet)
Though he fought in a cage only ten yards wide, Nick Diaz must have felt like he was fighting on a football field last night. For five rounds he stalked Carlos Condit but was unable able to pin him in any of the Octagon’s eight corners. In true Stockton fashion, he never stopped pressing forward and was always the aggressor, but did he exhibit ‘Octagon Control’? As we generally define the term, yes. As it’s actually defined, no. Diaz didn’t want to keep circling and chasing Condit; he wanted to trap him against the cage and unload merciless combinations–basically, to fight him in a phone booth. The reason he didn’t was because Condit executed his game plan perfectly and dictated the flow of the fight. Even if that wasn’t the case and Diaz was in full control of the bout, let’s not start pretending that we love nothing more than a fight full of ‘Octagon Control’. As fans we value effective striking and grappling above position and pace. So too should the judges.
“Come on, Nick. Tell us how you *really* feel.” (Video: ZombieProphet)
Though he fought in a cage only ten yards wide, Nick Diaz must have felt like he was fighting on a football field last night. For five rounds he stalked Carlos Condit but was unable able to pin him in any of the Octagon’s eight corners. In true Stockton fashion, he never stopped pressing forward and was always the aggressor, but did he exhibit ‘Octagon Control’? As we generally define the term, yes. As it’s actually defined, no. Diaz didn’t want to keep circling and chasing Condit; he wanted to trap him against the cage and unload merciless combinations–basically, to fight him in a phone booth. The reason he didn’t was because Condit executed his game plan perfectly and dictated the flow of the fight. Even if that wasn’t the case and Diaz was in full control of the bout, let’s not start pretending that we love nothing more than a fight full of ‘Octagon Control’. As fans we value effective striking and grappling above position and pace. So too should the judges.
Some of you will undoubtedly feel that you can’t win a fight moving backwards. You may be right, but there are a host of other things that you can do in retreat. You can set a record for leg kicks landed in a UFC fight (not that those count, right?). You can out-strike your opponent in both total strikes and significant strikes by a 30% margin. You can land more power shots to the head.
There’s a good reason last night’s main event is so controversial—it was a damn close fight. Despite what I’ve written, I’m not actually here to convince you that Condit deserves the interim belt or his shiny new hog. If you think that Diaz won the fight, I won’t tell you that you’re wrong (again, stats never tell the whole tale, and it was a really close fight). That being said, let’s not confuse “The Natural Born Killer” with Kaleb Starnes. Condit picked his shots wisely and got the hell out of dodge. It wasn’t the balls-to-the-wall throwdown I’d hoped for, but it was an entertaining fight.
For the time being at least, Diaz says he’s had enough. He may be as tough and as talented as they come, but he’s only happy fighting his kind of fight. His bouts would be vastly more entertaining if everyone limited their offense and defense to match his strengths, but I don’t see that happening in the upper-tiers of the division. His distaste for wrestling, specifically lay and pray, is understandable, but to respond to a flashy Condit elbow with, “We’re throwing spinning shit now?” makes me think that he’ll never adjust his game to deal with those who won’t play it. If he sticks around, we can expect plenty more wars and plenty more victories, but his record will be spotted with losses he refuses to accept.
Diaz is one of the most entertaining fighters out there and I pray he doesn’t call it quits, but he’s clearly had his fill of this sport. In no uncertain words, the Stockton native expressed his disillusion with MMA’s scoring system and proclaimed that he doesn’t “need this shit.”
Straight forward, to the point, and no punches pulled. That’s Nick Diaz.
(Don’t be a hero. Just throw your lunch money onto the stage with everybody else’s. / Photo courtesy of CombatLifestyle.com For more photos from this set, click here.)
Tonight, the UFC is putting an interim welterweight belt on the line, to be decided by two gamebred sons-of-bitches who go out to take scalps, not win points. If Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit isn’t a thrilling fight, I’ll eat my hat. Plus: Roy Nelson welcomes Fabricio Werdum back to the Octagon, Josh Koscheck slugs it out with his evil twin Mike Pierce, and Scott Jorgenson does his best to snap the 27-fight win streak of Renan Barao.
Handling play-by-play for tonight’s action is interim liveblog champion Aaron Mandel. Follow us after the jump for live results from the UFC 143 pay-per-view card, beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and please use the comments section to let us know how we can better serve you.
(Don’t be a hero. Just throw your lunch money onto the stage with everybody else’s. / Photo courtesy of CombatLifestyle.com For more photos from this set, click here.)
Tonight, the UFC is putting an interim welterweight belt on the line, to be decided by two gamebred sons-of-bitches who go out to take scalps, not win points. If Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit isn’t a thrilling fight, I’ll eat my hat. Plus: Roy Nelson welcomes Fabricio Werdum back to the Octagon, Josh Koscheck slugs it out with his evil twin Mike Pierce, and Scott Jorgenson does his best to snap the 27-fight win streak of Renan Barao.
Handling play-by-play for tonight’s action is interim liveblog champion Aaron Mandel. Follow us after the jump for live results from the UFC 143 pay-per-view card, beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. Refresh the page every few minutes for all the latest, and please use the comments section to let us know how we can better serve you.
Okay Potato Nation, it’s almost time for the pay-per view portion of UFC 143. If you haven’t been watching along already, here’s the results from the prelims:
Steven Thompson def. Dan Stittgen via knockout (kick) – Round 1, 4:13
Rafael Natal def. Michael Kuiper via unanimous decision
Matt Riddle def. via Henry Martinez via split decision
Matt Brown def. Chris Cope via knockout (punches) – Round 2, 1:19
Edwin Figueroa def. Alex Caceres via split decision
Dustin Poirier def. Max Holloway via submission (mounted triangle-armbar) – Round 1, 3:23
Is anyone else excited for the new non-gladiator intro?
Well that intro was…interesting. On the plus side, I bet Heath Herring is stoked about the free publicity!
And here we go!
Ed Herman vs. Clifford Starks
Huge opportunity here for Starks, getting a pay-per view shot in his second fight against the veteran Herman.
Round 1– Fighters exchange right away. Good hands being thrown. Starks pushes Herman against the cage, working for the takedown, Herman defending well. Starks seems content to lean into Herman and work some dirty boxing. Fighters break and move back to the center. Goldberg notes that Starks is “physically strong”, when will he say “athletic” or “dynamic”? More exchanges into the middle and then Starks puts Herman back into the cage. Starks is landing more than Herman. Both guys jockeying for position against the cage. Herman bleeding from what appears to be his left ear. Action has stalled. They separate and Starks is landing at will on Herman’s face. Herman seems uninterested in blocking or slipping punches. Herman gets a takedown and works from half guard. Starks reverses position and lands strikes from Herman’s full guard. Round ends with Starks on top.
Round 2– Starks was the clear winner of the first round. Second round starts with Starks landing more punches. Starks again puts Herman against the cage in the clinch. Herman takes Starks down and lands in side control, quickly transitions into mount and takes his back. Herman working for the rear naked choke, it is deep. Herman adjusts and sinks it in, Starks taps and it is allll over.
Ed Herman defeats Clifford Starks, submission (rear naked choke), round 2
Renan Barao vs. Scott Jorgensen
Kim Winslow refereeing this one, someone’s gonna die. Barao is riding an incredible 27-fight win streak and comes out looking pumped up.
Round 1– Barao opens with a kick to the head. Barao throwing kicks, including the spinning variety. Barao fights off a takedown from Jorgensen and goes back to work on the feet. Jorgensen looks tentative and Barao is throwing fluidly. Jorgensen shoots for a takedown but Barao defends again. Back to the center, both fighters throwing punches. Apparently Barao has good jiu jitsu also, that’s scary. Good straight punches from Barao mixed with solid leg kicks. They go into the clinch, Jorgensen with his back against the cage, Barao working some knees and kicks. Round ends, I give that one to Barao.
Round 2– Gotta love the lighter weights, both fighters come out fresh, moving around well. Jorgensen working hard for a takedown but Barao’s defense is excellent and it remains on the feet. Barao is working the leg kicks well. Jorgensen’s left leg is going to feel like my friend who is “drinking for science” next to me tonight. Both fighters in the center throwing punches, Barao is getting the better of the exchanges. Jorgensen takes a hard kick to the body and winces. Jorgensen shoots in for a takedown but ends up on his back. Barao in half guard delivering some punches to the body. Barao back in Jorgensen’s full guard now. Jorgensen works back to his feet. Spinning back kick to Jorgensen’s body. Jorgensen misses a jumping kick. Round ends, Barao in charge two rounds to none now.
Round 3- Touch of the gloves and the final round begins. Jorgensen comes out more aggressive, he must know he’s down on the cards. Barao fires back, but Jorgensen is tough as hell and stays in the pocket, swinging. Flying knee from Barao misses but Jorgensen’s mouth is wide open and I think he’s tarting to fade. Spinning head kick from Barao glances off Jorgensen’s hands. Jorgensen is having no luck with his takedown attempts which is bad news for a guy who relies on his grinding wrestling. Ninety seconds left and both guy throwing strikes. Leg kicks from Barao really adding up now. Joe Rogan has said almost nothing this ride, very eerie. Round ends with Barao firmly in charge.
Renan Barao defeats Scott Jorgensen by unanimous decision
You’d think after five years as an avid MMA fan I’d understand Portugese by now, but I have no fucking clue what Barao is talking about, good win for him though!
Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce
Watching Koscheck walk to the cage I can’t help think of the Koschek/Bob Ross thread from a few years ago. Pierce talked his way into this match and has everything to gain and almost nothing to lose.
Round 1– Pierce takes the center of the cage and shoots for a takedown early, Koscheck defends well but has his back against the cage. Pierce doing a good job making it ugly, holding Koscheck against the cage, landing some foot stomps, kicks and dirty boxing. Koscheck eats a few shots as they separate. Pierce gets put against the cage but they quickly separate. Both men throwing hard strikes and landing. Pierce is hanging in there at a level I did not expect. Pierce shoots in but Koscheck defends and the round ends with the fight remaining on the feet. Very close round, I’d give it to Pierce but I’m glad I’m not a judge!
Round 2– Pierce lands first with a right and shoots for a takedown. Koscheck defends and they clinch against the cage. Pierce lands as they separate. Koscheck looks tentative and a little stunned at how well Pierce is landing on him. Pierce bleeding from the head quite severely, makes me remember the old “head wound Harry” skits from SNL. Koscheck with a knee that misses. Pierce puts Koscheck back against the cage. Time is called as Koscheck pokes Pierce in the eye, punching with an open hand, measuring distance with his fingers out. Koscheck shoots for the first time and completes it with ease. Pierce gives up his back as he tries to use the cage to stand up. Pierce works back to his feet from a bad position and the round ends. Pierce is on the verge of a big upset.
Round 3– Pierce lands again but Koscheck answering back. Koscheck seems to be winking and wincing like in the GSP fight, I wonder if his eye is hurt again or it’s just become a tic of his now. Pierce gets a takedown but it is brief, Koscheck powers back up with ease. Koscheck has Pierce clinched against the cage. Koscheck is turning it up now but Pierce regains the clinch and is landing with dirty boxing and short strikes. Fighters break and face off in the center. Koscheck shoots for a takedown but Pierce defending well against the cage. Herb Dean is treating Koscheck like a misbehaving child, separates them and immediately warns Koscheck yet again for the fingers to Pierce’s face. It is extremely hard to like Koscheck. Both fighters striking, Koscheck shoots for a late takedown and holds Pierce to the canvas. Pierce ends with a spinning elbow as he works back to the feet. Very close fight, I have it for Pierce but this could either way.
Josh Koscheck defeats Mike Pierce by split decision
Koscheck getting showered with boos from the crowd and responds with a middle finger and some stuttering excuses for what will undoubtedly be a controversial win that won’t advance him much in the welterweight division.
Rogan describes the upcoming Rousey-Tate matchup as “the hottest title fight” in history.
Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum
Nelson looks noticeably slimmer, sporting a massive graying beard and a braided mullet,control yourself, ladies.
Round 1– Werdum dwarfing Nelson in the staredown. Touch of gloves. Front kick from Werdum starts the action followed by a knee and a kick to the body. Nelson stalking, throws a right and slips to the ground. Werdum takes his back with astonishing speed and works to sink in a choke but Nelson fends it off and gets back to his feet. Werdum with the plum throwing knees at Nelson that are doing damage. Nelson breaks free and puts Werdum into the cage. Werdum regains the Thai clinch and unloads knees into Nelson who is starting to look and act like a drunken uncle outside the bar on a Tuesday night fighting a pack of angry skunks. Nelson is slowly bleeding his way down to light-heavyweight. Referee Josh Rosenthal stops to the action to have a doctor confirm what everyone can see on tv, that Nelson’s face is fucked up. Action restarts and Werdum goes back to work with kicks. Nelson drops Werdum and dives into guard ala Fedor and fights his way out of an armbar threat. Werdum gets back to his feet as the round ends and misses with a roundhouse.
Round 2– Werdum opens up with a leg kick and drops Nelson with a kick. Nelson back to his feet and throwing a kick of his own. I’m not sure if it’s possible to knock Nelson out, but Werdum is trying. Nelson is hanging in there throwing strikes but there’s not much on them. Roy Nelson is being described in my living room as an “un-dead viking” and a “zombie skeleton with a coonskin cap”. Action is slowing noticeably in the second round but Werdum is still winning the exchanges, when they happen. Body kick from Werdum but Nelson catches Werdum and flurries but Werdum survives, this is getting interesting. Nelson is sitting back waiting for a big shot as the round ends.
Round 3– Nelson has streaks of his own blood on his over-sized gut, I’m mesmerized. Werdum comes in and gets caught in a standing guillotine but survives and separates. Nelson puts Werdum into the cage as they tie up. Werdum landing knees and punches but Nelson must have a fast food bonus in his contract if he goes the distance because he is charging forward. Nelson tries a hilarious spinning back kick and Werdum catches and the round ends.
Fabricio Werdum defeats Roy Nelson by unanimous decision
Werdum managed to get into his interview with Rogan sans translator and ended up congratulating Nelson somehow.
Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz
It’s time for the main event, interim welterweight title on the line. A little touch of the foreheads on the staredown, no glove touch.
Round 1– Condit opens with a leg kick and then another. Condit working knees to the body, perhaps trying to drain the endless gas tank of Diaz. Diaz tees off with a few punches on Condit. Both fighters tentative. Condit just misses with a question mark kick. Condit really working the kicks. Spinning back first from Condit just misses and Diaz starts talking to Condit and looks to open up against the cage. Diaz works punches to the body against the cage, mixing them up with head strikes. Condit with a leg kick but Diaz is starting to pick up his patented flurries. Round ends with Diaz lowering his hands and throwing strikes. Very close round, I’d give it to Condit.
Round 2– Condit with more kicks to start the second round. Flying knee from Condit misses and Diaz catches it momentarily. Condit tries his fifth spinning back first of the night and finally lands but Diaz walks right through it. Diaz yelling in Condit’s face and open hand slaps him! Diaz is talking more in the octagon than he did on the entire primetime series. Diaz with a good combo on Condit. Condit seems tentative and Diaz is exploiting with combinations. Condit throwing big straight kicks but they are not landing. Condit lands a body shot. Diaz lands a flurry to the body. Back and forth striking action as the round ends. I’d give this round to Diaz.
Round 3- Third round and Condit again opens with a head kick that misses. Very even exchanges over and over, Diaz slightly getting the better of it. Diaz tagging Condit whenever he gets him against the cage. Very hard to live blog a fight like this! They are just striking over and over, nothing definitive landing, but Diaz’s strikes are adding up a little more. Condit missing a lot of kicks. Diaz not working at as fast a pace as we’re used to, perhaps he’s game planning for the five rounds. Condit is doing a good job circling off the cage when Diaz starts to come in with a flurry. Condit lands a knee and Diaz immediately starts talking shit. Diaz responds with a left hand but Condit is looking more active and more confident now. Round ends with Condit slipping on a kick. I think Condit took that round and is now up two rounds to one on my horribly unofficial card.
Round 4- Condit kicking away to start the championship rounds. Again lots of strikes being thrown, nothing significant yet. No ground fighting in the fight whatsoever, and no sign of it happening. Just as I type this Diaz shoots for a takedown but fails. Condit kicking and fighting smart. Condit gets Diaz on the feet with some hands and then kicks Diaz straight in the face, Diaz just stares him down. Diaz catches a kick but can’t complete the takedown. Condit is landing much more this round, Diaz seems slow and ineffective. Condit wins that round.
Round 5– I think this round needs to see Diaz end the fight to win. Condit looking much more confident. Diaz not moving very fast. I was just informed that Cecil Peoples is one of the judges tonight so none of what I’m writing or what you’re seeing matters at all. Diaz winging kicks at Condit without much success. Condit has thrown nearly ten spinning back fists at this point. Condit chops Diaz down with a leg kick and then goes up high. Diaz clinches him against the cage and attempts to take it to the ground but Condit separates with two minutes left. Diaz nails Condit with punches but Condit comes back with a knee. Diaz throwing combinations and starting to pick up the pace. Diaz drags Condit down and takes his back working furiously for a submission. Diaz trying desperately for a rear naked choke but Condit is defending well. The fight ends with Diaz trying for an armbar. I think Diaz got the fifth round but Condit will take it 48-47. Close fight.
Carlos Condit defeats Nick Diaz by unanimous decision.
Classy interview with Condit post-fight, it’ll be him against GSP toward the end of the year. Diaz apparently retires in the cage because he thought he won the fight and “don’t wanna play this game no more.”
Swanson vs. Roop provided an early candidate for Side-Punchface of the Year. Props: UFC.com
Remember how last night, you invited your non-MMA fan friends over to introduce them to our sport? You spent the past week talking about how Chael Sonnen is one of the best trash talkers in professional sports, and how technical and talented these fighters were. You figured that after three fights that were guaranteed to be exceptional, your friends would be won over to MMA fandom. Then you’d continue to drink and be merry all night, and we’d all meet up here today for our traditional post-UFC event GIF party where we all high five over how awesome the fights were.
Well, it didn’t quite work out that way. Instead, you found yourself doing damage control as you watched three fights worth of sloppy brawling, wall and stall and Chael Sonnen’s blatant swaggerjacking of homage to “Superstar” Billy Graham. You tried to convince them that the fights are usually nothing like this, and that these guys gassing out and the end of the first round are world class athletes. Eventually, one of your friends said “I bet Pacquiao would destroy ANY of these guys” as the rest of your friends grabbed their coats and said they’d call you next time they wanted to watch the fights.
Okay, so last night sucked. But we’ve been planning this party all week, and we’ll be damned if we cancel it at this point. So grab an alcoholic beverage, put on your gaudiest Affliction shirt and join us for our traditional post-UFC event GIF Party.
Swanson vs. Roop provided an early candidate for Side-Punchface of the Year. Props: UFC.com
Remember how last night, you invited your non-MMA fan friends over to introduce them to our sport? You spent the past week talking about how Chael Sonnen is one of the best trash talkers in professional sports, and how technical and talented these fighters were. You figured that after three fights that were guaranteed to be exceptional, your friends would be won over to MMA fandom. Then you’d continue to drink and be merry all night, and we’d all meet up here today for our traditional post-UFC event GIF party where we all high five over how awesome the fights were.
Well, it didn’t quite work out that way. Instead, you found yourself doing damage control as you watched three fights worth of sloppy brawling, wall and stall and Chael Sonnen’s blatant swaggerjacking of homage to “Superstar” Billy Graham. You tried to convince them that the fights are usually nothing like this, and that these fighters gassing out and the end of the first round are world class athletes. Eventually, one of your friends said “I bet Pacquiao would destroy ANY of these guys” as the rest of your friends grabbed their coats and promised they’d call you next time they wanted to watch the fights.
Okay, so last night sucked. But we’ve been planning this party all week, and we’ll be damned if we cancel it at this point. So grab an alcoholic beverage, put on your gaudiest Affliction shirt and join us for our traditional post-UFC event GIF Party.
Totally illegal in NCAA competition. (Photo: UFC.com)
“It’s usually not like this.” With that text I found myself apologizing to a UFC-virgin for the first time in a long time. My friend had just told me that she was at home watching the the show on FOX, without any provocation from me mind you. “This is that fighting you like, right???”. I assured her that the event had yet to capture the energy and excitement indicative of the sport. “I’m going back and forth between this and figure skating,” she replied. I can’t really say I blame her, either.
While we expected plenty of grappling in the bouts themselves, the wrestling theme seemed to carry on throughout the production at large. The usually-charismatic Jon Jones wrestled with his notes, relying on them not just for in-depth fight analysis but for simple things like his thoughts on fighting Rashad. The opening act wrestled with fatigue, leading to a performance as exhausting for fans as it was for the competitors in the cage. And once again, FOX wrestled with an underwhelming broadcast that left the most exciting action behind in the prelims.
Enough belly aching about the show itself, let’s take a look at what made such a promising event so forgettable for the masses.
Totally illegal in NCAA competition. (Photo: UFC.com)
“It’s usually not like this.” With that text I found myself apologizing to a UFC-virgin for the first time in a long time. My friend had just told me that she was at home watching the the show on FOX, without any provocation from me mind you. “This is that fighting you like, right???”. I assured her that the event had yet to capture the energy and excitement indicative of the sport. “I’m going back and forth between this and figure skating,” she replied. I can’t really say I blame her, either.
While we expected plenty of grappling in the bouts themselves, the wrestling theme seemed to carry on throughout the production at large. The usually-charismatic Jon Joneswrestled with his notes, relying on them not just for in-depth fight analysis but for simple things like his thoughts on fighting Rashad. The opening act wrestled with fatigue, leading to a performance as exhausting for fans as it was for the competitors in the cage. And once again, FOX wrestled with an underwhelming broadcast that left the most exciting action behind in the prelims.
Enough belly aching about the show itself, let’s take a look at what made such a promising event so forgettable for the masses.
The first fight of the FOX broadcast was a dreadful match between Demian Maia and Chris Weidman. The All-American wrestler showed little fear of Maia’s proven BJJ, taking him down numerous times throughout the bout. Though he went down without much trouble, Maia impressively scrambled back to his feet more often than not. His striking, however, left much to be desired. The Brazilian showcased limited weapons in the stand-up, though neither man went for the kill, even when they had the stamina to do so. Weidman’s cardio woes are easily forgiven; he took this fight on eleven-days notice following Munoz’s departure from the card. Maia’s lethargy is a bit less understandable. The pair were beyond exhausted in round three, opting to forgo the opportunities they found themselves in simply because it was far less tiring to do nothing at all. Weidman took the split decision in a (hopefully) easily forgotten performance. As the lone lead-in for the co-main events, this bout really set the stage for a disappointing evening.
Perhaps it’s best that Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen had a scant eleven days to talk up their bout, as it didn’t live up to the hastened hype it received. It’s not their fault, really. They both fought their asses off, it’s just that each man made the other look bad. The opening seconds reflected what many expected from this bout, with Chael landing an instant takedown and going to work. A moment later, however, Bisping threw the script out of the Octagon and popped right back up to his feet. His defensive wrestling wasn’t limited to the ground, either. The Brit surprised many everyone by repeatedly circling off the fence, pinning Sonnen against the cage and controlling much of the action. Though not much happened in the clinch, he outworked “The American Gangster” in the center of the cage as well, finding a home for his hands. Round three was all Chael; the self-proclaimed Middleweight champion put “The Count” in peril while taking his back and mounting him. If Twitter is any indication, exactly 50% of you are outraged with Sonnen’s unanimous decision victory. If even industry experts can’t agree on who won and by what margin, what must new fans have thought of the outcome? A fist fight should be a relatively easy affair to judge, but a bout like this puts MMA’s nebulous scoring system in the spotlight. The UFC now has the momentous rematch with Anderson Silva that they’d hoped for, but Chael’s performance hardly commanded the second bite at the apple like his submission win over Stann did.
The main event pitted perennial #1 contender Rashad Evans against the undefeated Phil Davis. Evans insisted that he would out-wrestle “Mr. Wonderful” convincingly, collegiate pedigrees be damned, and was confident that the rising star would fade under the bright lights of a high-stakes bout. As the final seconds of round one ticked away, and he stared up at those bright lights with his back against the canvas and his arms pinned in a crucifix, Davis must have heard Rashad’s claims echoing in his mind. Davis’ stand-up, though vastly improved, was still too sluggish for Rashad’s fast hands, and he repeatedly found himself in compromising positions on the ground throughout the bout. At times Davis looked disillusioned, but he never stopped fighting, he never allowed Rashad to put him away. He’ll benefit from this loss and has ample time to develop his skills and grow as a fighter. Evans will find no such respite. Following his unanimous decision win, the UFC has once again dangled the Jon Jones carrot in front of him. Fortunately he has little time to question if the fight will actually take place. The former training partners and friends are slated to dance at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia. Assuming Evans picked up no injuries in his five round battle, this gives him just enough time to recover and get in a full training camp for the April 21st bout.
You need look no further than last night’s bonus checks for proof that the best of last night’s tussles were left on the cutting room floor. Lavar Johnson hurt Joey Beltran early with body shots, but it was a torrent of brutal uppercuts that dropped “The Mexicutioner” late in first round. Johnson picked up $65k for the evening’s “Knock out of the Night” and the first win for a Strikeforce heavyweight since their formal assimilation into the Octagon. Eric Wisely’s UFC debut was short lived. Charles Oliveira welcomed the rookie to the cage with some hard leg kicks before taking him to the ground and raining down shots. The Brazilian quickly transitioned from leg lock to leg lock before catching a rare calf-slicer and drawing the tap in just 1:43 of the first round. A terrific debut at Featherweight for “Do Bronx” was made all the sweeter with a check for the “Submission of the Night”. In the evening’s “Fight of the Night”, Evan Dunham and Nick Lentz swung away early and often. There was little feeling out process as the two traded shots in close quarters throughout the first frame. Both fighters slowed in round two, but their assaults were just as spirited. Dunham battered Lentz on the ground, swelling and cutting the fighter just below his eye. The damage was serious enough to limit his vision and force cage-side physicians to halt the bout between the second and third frames.
Main Bouts (on Fox at 8 p.m. ET on Fox): -Rashad Evans def. Phil Davis by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45), R5
-Chael Sonnen def. Michael Bisping by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28), R3
-Chris Weidman def. Demian Maia by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28), R3
Preliminary Bouts (on Fuel TV at 5 p.m. ET on Fuel TV):
-Evan Dunham def. Nick Lentz by TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00, R2.
-Mike Russow def. Jon Olav Einemo by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
-Cub Swanson def. George Roop by TKO (punches) at 2:22, R2
-Charles Oliveira def. Eric Wisely via submission at 1:43, R1
-Michael Johnson def. Shane Roller by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
-Lavar Johnson def. Joey Beltran by knockout (punches) at 4:24, R1
-Chris Camozzi def. Dustin Jacoby by submission (front choke) at 1:08, R3
“Is it too soon to talk about Sandusky, or should I wait ten years, like Paterno?” Props: MMAJunkie.com
“The House that Jordan Built” is sold out for the UFC’s return to Fox, which features three times as many televised fights as its Fox debut. Can Chris Weidman make a name for himself against Demian Maia? Will Chael Sonnen challenge Anderson Silva to a casket match after tonight’s fight? Does Phil Davis establish himself as a contender at light-heavyweight, or does Rashad Evans set himself up to get overlooked for yet another title shot? We’ll answer all this and more as it unfolds.
Handling liveblogging duties tonight is Seth Falvo, who will be watching the event with some oldfriends. Please direct all complaints about spelling and grammar, comments about the liveblogger’s sexual preference and unrelated conspiracy theories directly at him. Spoilers after the jump.
“Is it too soon to talk about Sandusky, or should I wait ten years, like Paterno?” Props: MMAJunkie.com
“The House that Jordan Built” is sold out for the UFC’s return to Fox, which features three times as many televised fights as its Fox debut. Can Chris Weidman make a name for himself against Demian Maia? Will Chael Sonnen challenge Anderson Silva to a casket match after tonight’s fight? Does Phil Davis establish himself as a contender at light-heavyweight, or does Rashad Evans set himself up to get overlooked for yet another title shot? We’ll answer all this and more as it unfolds.
Handling liveblogging duties tonight is Seth Falvo, who will be watching the event with some oldfriends. Please direct all complaints about spelling and grammar, comments about the liveblogger’s sexual preference and unrelated conspiracy theories directly at him. Spoilers after the jump.
Good evening, Potato Nation. Glad to see you all here. I’m about to cut to the chase and put my hands on the undercard results worse than Rashad Evans is about to put his hands on Phil Davis. What, where did you think I was going with that one?
Undercard Results: Evan Dunham vs. Nik Lentz Mike Russow def. Jon Olav Einemo via unanimous decision Cub Swanson def. George Roop via second-round TKO
Charles Oliveira def. Eric Wisely via submission (calf-crusher)
Michael Johnson def. Shane Roller via unanimous decision
Lavar Johnson def. Joey Beltran via first-round KO
Chris Camozzi def. Dustin Jacoby via submission (guillotine choke)
And we are live! Don’t get me wrong, I’m very glad that I did not have to sit through that gladiator suiting up yet again. But if we’re replacing that with the robots that were cheesy when the NFL started using them, then I’m going to start tuning in two minutes late.
Chris Weidman vs. Demian Maia
Round One: They touch gloves and we’re underway. After about thirty seconds of feeling out to begin the round, as Weidman rushes in with an overhand right and Maia trips. Weidman is doing a good job slipping Maia’s punches, but isn’t landing anything in return. Weidman lands a right hand, and Maia answers with a knee. Nice 1-2 from Weidman. He attempts a Superman punch, but Maia avoids it entirely. They briefly clinch, but Weidman pushes Maia away. Dear lord Maia is throwing some huge left hands, but none of them are connecting. Weidman gets a takedown with one minute left in the round, but Maia gets back to his feet. They clinch with thirty seconds left in the round, and Maia lands a knee. They are hesitant to exchange as the round ends.
Round Two: Weidman with a nice takedown early. Maia gets back up, and they’re back in the center of the cage. Weidman almost catches a kick from Maia, and answers with a leg kick of his own. Maia looks very stiff out there. Nice overhand left from Maia. And another. Weidman lands an inside leg kick, and the crowd starts to boo the lack of action. They clinch and exchange knees, and we’re back to both fighters treating the fight more like a sparring session. Head kick attempt from Weidman. Weidman goes for a double leg takedown, but Maia stuffs it. They clinch against the cage, and the crowd does not sound pleased. Weidman lands another takedown with twenty seconds remaining, and attempts a guillotine as the round comes to an end.
Round Three: Weidman looks gassed, but Maia doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to take advantage of this. Weidman with a takedown against the cage, but ends up in Maia’s guard. They stand and clinch, with Weidman attempting a takedown that Maia stuffs. A sloppy takedown attempt from Maia gets stuffed. Maia attempts yet another takedown, which Weidman stuffs, but lets Maia back to his feet. Rogan says, and I quote, “This fight has degenerated to a sloppy kickboxing competition”. The crowd is definitely not impressed, as both guys look too exhausted to capitalize. One minute remaining, as Weidman lands an overhand right. Maia is bleeding from his right eyebrow, and has his hands at his waist. Sorry, Mike Goldberg, but I don’t think he’s taunting Weidman so much as he’s downright gassed. This one mercifully comes to an end to a chorus of boos from the Chicago fans.
Sheesh. The casual fan viewing this “U.F.C. stuff” for the first time cannot be impressed. Let’s see how the judges saw it…
Chris Weidman def. Demian Maia via split decision.
We’ve got promos from Michael Bisping and Chael Sonnen. Hopefully Bisping’s fight is closer than these promos. Sonnen absolutely crushed him.
Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping
We hear that this is “one of the few times when Chael Sonnen may have the crowd on his side” as Sonnen makes his way to the cage. Um, what? Eh, I’ll allow it after that questionable editing job during Bisping’s pre-fight hype video.
Round One: Sonnen immediately gets a takedown, but Bisping gets back to his feet. Bisping gets poked, but the fight continues, as Sonnen works for another takedown. Bisping is doing a good job stuffing it, as the first “USA! USA! USA!” chant of the fight breaks out. Sonnen eventually gets another takedown, but Bisping gets back up and they clinch against the cage. They break, but Sonnen blitzes Bisping and pins him against the cage. Nice reversal from Bisping, who now has Chael against the cage. They separate, and Bisping attempts a spinning back kick. Sonnen pins Bisping against the cage, as Bisping keeps grapping Sonnen’s shorts. Bisping pins Sonnen against the cage again (?!), as the two exchange knees. The two exchange in the center of the cage, with Bisping getting the better of the standup as the round comes to an end.
Round Two: Sonnen looks, dare I say, respectful of Bisping’s standup at the start of the round. Sonnen manages to pin Bisping against the cage, but Bisping reverses yet again. Bisping lands a knee from the clinch, as they are separated. Sonnen lands a double leg takedown, as Bisping tries to grab the cage to help himself back up. Bisping appears to be cut. They’re back on their feet, and Bisping lands a nice overhand right. Again, Bisping has Sonnen pinned against the cage. Bisping goes for a single leg takedown, but Sonnen stuffs it. Sonnen is completely out of his element, and is throwing short, all arm punches as Bisping keeps him against the cage. Sonnen escapes, and they trade punches as the round comes to an end.
Round Three: Sonnen lands a big overhand left and gets a double leg takedown as the round begins. Sonnen in in Bisping’s guard, but not really landing anything significant. Bisping grabs the cage yet again, and gives up his back as he tries to stand up. Sonnen gets both hooks in, and is looking for the rear-naked choke. Sonnen gets full mount, and is searching for the arm triangle. Bigping does a good job to escape, but Sonnen manages to keep him down and ends up in half-guard. With one minute left, Bisping has full guard and the crowd is starting to boo. Bisping attempts to wall walk his way up the cage, and manages to do so with twenty seconds left. Bisping gets a takedown (?!) as this round comes to an end.
Wow. Did not see that coming. Bisping was in total control throughout that one. Let’s see if the judges agree.
They don’t. Chael Sonnen defeats Michael Bisping by unanimous decision. Somewhere, Matt Hamill is smiling.
A controversial decision and two middleweights reenacting the third round of Hunt vs. Rothwell for fifteen minutes? Sheesh, good thing my aforementioned old friends are keeping me entertained.
I will say this much, the Rashad Evans pre-fight promo more than makes up for how bad Michael Bisping’s was. I genuinely liked watching that one.
Naturally, Jon Jones is asked for comment. He jokes about swaggerjacking Rashad’s training methods. His nervous laughter, however, implies that he’s totally not joking.
And now for our main event:
Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis
I really hope Phil Davis didn’t pick his own entrance music. I’d like to believe he doesn’t listen to the stuff I pretend to like at dance clubs to get himself ready for a fight. But I digress.
Round One: Nice leg kick by Phil Davis, followed up with a kick to the body. Another 1-2 from Davis, punctuated with a hard leg kick. Davis lands another leg kick and slips, as Rashad then clinches. They break, with neither guy landing anything of significance. Inside leg kick from Davis, as the two exchange punches, with Evans seemingly getting the better of the exchange. Is it just me, or did Goldberg just imply that if Davis wins, Hendo may get the next title shot? Huh. Evans with a takedown, landing in the half guard of Phil Davis. Rashad moves to side control, and gets the mounted crucifix with thirty seconds left in the round. Davis manages to escape, but Evans still has him on the ground as this round comes to an end.
Regardless of what happens, a Blackzilian will not lose to a first round rear-naked choke tonight. So there’s that, I guess.
Round Two: Davis looks for a head kick, but misses. Evans with a 1-2, but Davis manages to avoid the follow-up punches. They briefly clinch, as Davis lands a knee. Davis throws a kick, but Evans checks it. Rashad blitzes Davis, and pins him against the cage. Nice right hands from Evans, but Davis manages to circle away. Davis slips a punch from Evans, and misses with a haymaker of his own. Nice knee from Davis. With roughly thirty seconds remaining, Evans catches a kick and takes Davis down. Evans is in side control as this one comes to an end.
Round Three: Davis looks for a single leg takedown, but Evans stuffs it. Evans manages to break free, only to be pressed against the cage. Davis looks for a single leg against the cage, and eventually gets it. Evans works towards his feet, and reverses position on Davis. Evans takes Phil’s back, but Davis escapes. They’re back on their feet, clinching against the cage, with Evans controlling Davis. Davis desperately lunges for a takedown, which Evans avoids. Evans has Davis back against the cage. Davis tries to circle away, but Evans stays aggressive. Davis eventually gets the takedown, but Rashad scrambles back to his feet. Davis now has Evans pinned against the cage, and is landing knees to Rashad’s thigh. Davis is content to let this round end clinching against the cage with Evans.
Round Four: Nice kick by Davis. Double jab from Rashad, with Davis landing another body kick. Evans is using his jab nicely to keep Davis away. The crowd is starting to boo, as Rashad is outjabbing Phil Davis. Davis attempts a head kick, but Evans blocks it and pins Davis against the cage. Davis gets free, but he can’t get the takedown he’s looking for. Another takedown attempt from Davis sees Evans take Phil’s back, but Phil Davis is back on his feet. Evans keeps Davis against the cage with forty five seconds remaining in the round and attempts a takedown, but a nice sprawl from Davis sees both men back in the center of the cage. Evans lands a nice counter right hand as this round comes to an end.
Round Five: More kicks from Davis, but Evans is checking them well. The crowd boos, as Davis attempts a kick. Evans catches it, and takes Davis down. Phil Davis is bleeding from his mouth and his shin. Evans gets another crucifix. Davis escapes, but gives up his back to Evans. Davis manages to stand up, and the two exchange jabs in the center of the cage. Evans rocks Davis with an overhand right, causing him to lunge desperately for a takedown. They clinch against the cage as the crowd boos again. Davis breaks free and attempts a head kick. With thirty seconds left in the fight, Davis lands a body kick but seems hesitant to follow up with anything. Evans jabs at Davis as this one comes to an end.
Evans was too much for Davis tonight. If the judges don’t agree with me this time, I may have to make sure I’m watching the right channel.
Rashad Evans def. Phil Davis via unanimous decision.
Jon Jones seems happy with the outcome, even though he doesn’t “fight people’s names, [he] just fights people’s bodies”. I would offer more comments, but then Chris would have nothing to write about tomorrow. Enjoy your evenings, and come back tomorrow. We’ll have plenty to discuss.
