Tag: Martin Kampmann

Martin Kampmann vs Carlos Condit: The Dangers of Loading Up

Martin Kampmann and Carlos Condit provided a wonderful display of all-around mixed martial arts skill last night in the main event of UFC Fight Night 27. It was unfortunate that one man had to come up on the losing end of the bout as both showed a seri…

Martin Kampmann and Carlos Condit provided a wonderful display of all-around mixed martial arts skill last night in the main event of UFC Fight Night 27. It was unfortunate that one man had to come up on the losing end of the bout as both showed a serious improvement in some of the areas which have let their game down.

Martin Kampmann, whom I criticized last week as one of the slowest starters in the business, hid his usual wake up period by moving straight to his severely underappreciated wrestling. From the start of the bout he was on Carlos Condit, weighing him down like a bag of cement. Rushing Condit to the fence with a single leg, Condit pummeled in an underhook and looked to escape his hips from the fence on that side.

Kampmann sucked his hips in close to Condit’s and hit an inside trip on the second attempt on the side on which Condit had his underhook.

Condit rose to the occasion and showed once again why he has one of the better guards in MMA. While he didn’t come too close to submitting Kampmann, he did effectively eliminate Kampmann’s chances to land heavy ground-and-pound. And of course most good guard players will tell you that guard retention is most of the game.

Every time Kampmann took a step forward in passing guard Condit would push off the cage with his feet or invert himself and get underneath Kampmann, causing a scramble which ended with Kampmann achieving little. The next time Kampmann looked to be passing guard, Condit pushed away and turned his back, scrambling back to his feet but ultimately being pulled back down and having back control secured upon him.

Condit’s willingness to turn his back to make a scramble is definitely worthy of applause as it’s certainly a brave thing to do against one of the division’s best opportunists. Condit eventually managed to shake free and get to top position though. 

Much of the first round was spent wrestling in similar exchanges but Condit began to do a better job of breaking free from Kampmann’s clinch. Every time he did so he would land a few good elbows to the head and make Kampmann regret clinching. 

The single leg takedown which Kampmann hit at the end of the first round was absolutely textbook, though. Picking up the leg he ran to the fence and used Condit rebounding from the fence to feed into his running the pipe and dumping Condit on his back. 

Kampmann began to have success on the feet with his jab but ultimately became a little one note in his movement as he rushed straight at Condit. Condit sidestepped one such offensive and countered with a thudding right straight which slowed Kampmann a little.

The third round proved, once again, why Team Jackson—Winkeljohn is so successful at the heights of MMA competition, and more importantly the brilliant relationship between the eyes of Mike Winkeljohn and the actions of Carlos Condit.

Between the second and third rounds Mike Winkeljohn pointed out to Condit on film that every time Condit attacked, Kampmann covered with his lead elbow and loaded up his right hand. Winkeljohn implored Condit to fake with his right and instead attack Kampmann’s undefended right side with “Hook, elbow or fall off kick. Lunge, fall off, lunge, fall off.” 

We can assume that this refers to the left high kick which Condit caught Georges St. Pierre with as he immediately went about making it land against Kampmann. The real key in turning the fight in the third round seemed to be Condit’s left hook, however, which was noticeably less wide than usual and on the money almost every time. 

Condit would flick a jab or fake a right hand and immediately close the door with a left hook or a step out to his right with a left high kick. The high kicks became more effective as the round wore on but none of them had the sort of impact which Condit landed on St. Pierre with. The left hook, however, seemed to paralyze Kampmann.

Usually when Kampmann sees a right hand coming he will raise his left elbow, turn more side on and prepare his own right hand as a counter. Winkeljohn observed that when Kampmann does this (and he does this in pretty much all of his fights, so Condit had plenty of time to prepare) his right side is unguarded.

Of course even when he was loading up, Kampmann’s right hand was never more than a couple of inches from his jaw, but it is more that he was clearly not ready in his attitude or mindset to defend himself. When Kampmann catches a right hand, he instinctively comes back with his own. These kind of pinpoint counters help him easily hurt men like Jake Ellenberger and Diego Sanchez, but against a fighter who has a feinting game and a corner like Condit it can be exploited.

Left hooks and high kicks connected more and more frequently, not just when Kampmann was loading up, but after he had thrown his right hand as well. After battering Kampmann through the third round, Condit almost locked in the rare “Ninja Choke” as Kampmann attempted a takedown, but Kampmann spun and gave up his back to escape.

In the final stanza it was the left hook which once again turned the course of the fight. Condit threw a left high kick, followed by a left middle kick, and a right straight. This instigated an exchange and as Condit closed the door with his left hook he found Kampmann’s unguarded chin again and put Kampmann on wobbly legs.

Gif of the finish here.

Here Kampmann reverted to the flaw I pointed out last week (which he had only shown a few times previous in this fight) as he backed himself onto the cage. Kampmann has nothing from there and wasn’t looking to tie up or take Condit down. Instead he covered up, which is never effective in MMA, and was stopped by Condit’s flurries.

Both men showed enormous improvement in this bout and as I have said it was the type of bout where you’re sad to see one man come out as the loser. Kampmann’s recognition that he would need to wrestle early and often was a brilliant one, but once again it was his standup technique which got him into trouble, this time because of a much higher-level opponent and smaller opening than in his previous bouts.

In just a few days the UFC will be hosting another event headlined by Benson Henderson and Anthony Pettis and I will be back to talk about that shortly after. If you haven’t yet read my preview or my interview with Benson Henderson, please make sure to.

Pick up Jack’s eBooks Advanced Striking and Elementary Striking from his blog, Fights Gone By.

Jack can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.

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‘Fight Night 27: Condit vs. Kampmann II’ Aftermath: Wednesday, Bloody Wednesday


(“Listen up, old man. You’re *going* to give me those Six Flags tickets, whether you want to or not.” Photo via Getty.) 

Despite the fact that he was defeated via a close split decision in the pair’s first meeting, former interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit was the odds-on favorite heading into his rematch with Martin Kampmann at Fight Night 27 last night. It wasn’t hard to see why — Condit had dropped his past two contests, sure, but they were close decision losses to the the division’s long-standing champion and its current number one contender. Kampmann was also coming off a loss to said contender, but let’s just say that his loss was a little more…demoralizing.

In the early going, it looked as if Kampmann would attempt to mirror the strategy that led him to victory in the pair’s first meeting. Understandably hoping to avoid being shot out of a cannon by another left hand, “The Hitman” constantly pressured his lengthier foe and mixed up a few takedowns to keep Condit off balance. It’s a credit to Condit’s otherworldly cardio that he seemed to only grow fresher as the fight progressed, especially considering the amount of energy he expended defending Kampmann’s grappling-based attack in the first.

But there Condit was in the second and third, utilizing his reach to slowly pick Kampmann — who I’m convinced is only so pasty because he loses roughly 2 pints of blood per fight — apart before finishing him with a brutal series of knees and punches in the fourth. Even in defeat, the Dane once again proved that unless you have a fist made of granite, you are not putting him away easily.

With the victory, Condit claimed not only redemption but a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus. With four FOTN and two KOTN awards in his last seven bouts, it’s safe to say that Condit is not only one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC, but a perennial contender for the welterweight title. The ridiculous myth that the former WEC welterweight champ is a “Natural Born Runner” has been officially debunked — just don’t tell that to the hardcore Nick Diaz fans still struggling to cope with his loss to Condit at UFC 143. Unbridled ignorance is truly the hamster that keeps their wheels spinning, if ever so slowly.


(“Listen up, old man. You’re *going* to give me those Six Flags tickets, whether you want to or not.” Photo via Getty.) 

Despite the fact that he was defeated via a close split decision in the pair’s first meeting, former interim welterweight champion Carlos Condit was the odds-on favorite heading into his rematch with Martin Kampmann at Fight Night 27 last night. It wasn’t hard to see why — Condit had dropped his past two contests, sure, but they were close decision losses to the the division’s long-standing champion and its current number one contender. Kampmann was also coming off a loss to said contender, but let’s just say that his loss was a little more…demoralizing.

In the early going, it looked as if Kampmann would attempt to mirror the strategy that led him to victory in the pair’s first meeting. Understandably hoping to avoid being shot out of a cannon by another left hand, “The Hitman” constantly pressured his lengthier foe and mixed up a few takedowns to keep Condit off balance. It’s a credit to Condit’s otherworldly cardio that he seemed to only grow fresher as the fight progressed, especially considering the amount of energy he expended defending Kampmann’s grappling-based attack in the first.

But there Condit was in the second and third, utilizing his reach to slowly pick Kampmann — who I’m convinced is only so pasty because he loses roughly 2 pints of blood per fight — apart before finishing him with a brutal series of knees and punches in the fourth. Even in defeat, the Dane once again proved that unless you have a fist made of granite, you are not putting him away easily.

With the victory, Condit claimed not only redemption but a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus. With four FOTN and two KOTN awards in his last seven bouts, it’s safe to say that Condit is not only one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC, but a perennial contender for the welterweight title. The ridiculous myth that the former WEC welterweight champ is a “Natural Born Runner” has been officially debunked — just don’t tell that to the hardcore Nick Diaz fans still struggling to cope with his loss to Condit at UFC 143. Unbridled ignorance is truly the hamster that keeps their wheels spinning, if ever so slowly.

In the night’s co-main event, a somewhat sluggish Donald Cerrone saw himself similarly outgunned by moderate underdog Rafael Dos Anjos. The Brazilian not only accomplished what few have done by dropping “Cowboy” in the first, but surprisingly managed to outwork Cerrone in both the stand up and the grappling department as the fight progressed. This was no doubt thanks to the fact that Dos Anjos is more machine than he is man these days, but a win’s a win and with five straight, it’s time to give Dos Anjos a #1 contender fight. When T.J. Grant is healthy again, expect to see these two mix it up. Not bad for a dude who was best known for eating Jeremy Stephens’ uppercut from Hell in his UFC debut.

Elsewhere on the main card, TUF 17 winner Kelvin Gastelum made short work of late replacement opponent Brian Melancon, stunning the Texan with some B-E-A-utiful inside boxing before snatching up a fight-ending rear naked choke just two and a half minutes into the contest. Gastelum’s improbable run in the UFC can perhaps best be summed up by Derek Brunson:

Gastelum’s quick submission was not enough to earn him a SOTN bonus, however. That award went to fellow TUF 17 contestant and alien in poorly-fitting human skin suit, Zak Cummings, who collected his first UFC victory by way of an incredibly slick Brabo choke over Ben Alloway in the first round (gif here via Zombie Prophet).

Twas an exciting night of fights, for sure. The closely contested slugfests that were Takeya Mizugaki vs. Erik Perez and Court McGee vs. Robert Whittaker would have arguably secured a FOTN bonus on a lesser card (UFC 163, for instance). In the former, Mizugaki’s unbreakable chin held up against the early and often furious onslaught of Perez, who seemed to fade as the two continued to trade heavy leather for three straight rounds. With the win, Mizugaki improved to 5-2 in the UFC; here’s hoping he continues to get main card fights because the man is entertaining as hell to watch.

In the latter meeting between TUF winners, McGee — who overdosed on heroin once, just in case you guys didn’t know — improved his welterweight record to 2-0 by outgunning Whittaker en route to a split decision victory. While Whittaker may have landed the harder shots, it was McGee’s octagon control and feverish pace that earned him the judges’ nod. However, the fact that the final scores were 30-27, 27-30 and 29-28 furthers the theory that MMA judges have either given up entirely or are handing out sympathy points these days. Of course, it really didn’t help that the judge who scored it for Whittaker wrote in crayon.

What’s left? Ahhh yes, the KOTN award, which went to newcomer Brandon Thatch for his first round destruction of Justin Edwards. The finish was Thatch’s ninth straight victory to come in the first round and a performance that will likely give Brittney Palmer nightmares for weeks to come. Standing at 6’2″, Thatch towers above most of the welterweight division and could pose some legitimate threats down the line. That being said, he might want to start keeping his hands a little higher when he kicks or he is going to get plastered by a better striker.

The full results for Fight Night 27 are below.

UFC Fight Night 27 Main Card on Fox Sports 1 (8 p.m. ET)
-Carlos Condit def. Martin Kampmann, TKO (Round 4, 0:54)
-Rafael dos Anjos def. Donald Cerrone, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
-Kelvin Gastelum def. Melancon, submission (Round 1, 2:26)
-Court McGee def. Robert Whittaker, split-decision (27-30, 30-27, 29-28)
-Takeya Mizugaki def. Erik Perez, split-decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
-Brad Tavares def. Bubba McDaniel, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Fox Sports 2 Prelims (6 p.m. ET)
-Dylan Andrews def. Papy Abedi, TKO (Round 3, 1:32)
-Brandon Thatch def. Justin Edwards, TKO (Round 1, 1:23)
-Darren Elkins def. Hatsu Hioki, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
-Jason High def. James Head, submission (Round 1, 1:41)

Facebook Prelims (5 p.m. ET)
-Zak Cummings def. Ben Alloway, submission (Round 1, 4:19)
-Roger Bowling vs. Abel Trujillo: No contest (Bowling KO’d by illegal knee in Round 2)

–J. Jones

Martin Kampmann vs. Carlos Condit: What Went Wrong for Kampmann

Apparently pulling off a Georges St-Pierre or Johny Hendricks-like game plan on Carlos Condit takes extraordinary wrestling chops and a never-ending gas tank.
Just when Condit started to find his groove in the takedown defense department, Martin K…

Apparently pulling off a Georges St-Pierre or Johny Hendricks-like game plan on Carlos Condit takes extraordinary wrestling chops and a never-ending gas tank.

Just when Condit started to find his groove in the takedown defense department, Martin Kampmann began to fade in his attempt to execute a high-paced wrestle-heavy game plan at UFC Fight Night 27 on Wednesday.

Kampmann got off to an uncharacteristically quick start against Condit in their main event bout, pushing the pace and scoring on four of five takedown attempts in the first round.

Condit, however, minimized damage from the bottom position, kept his composure and then unleashed his typical high-volume, unorthodox striking assault on “The Hitman.” 

The ploy paid major dividends for “The Natural Born Killer,” who stuffed eight of Kampmann‘s 10 takedown attempts following the first round.

The turnaround began in Round 2 when Condit stymied Kampmann on each of his five takedown attempts. In the process, Condit outstruck Kampmann 37-19 in the round.

During the post-fight interview, Kampmann admitted that after the first round, he was essentially running on fumes.

I got the fast start I wanted. I got it off the bat, but I gassed myself out completely after the first round. I didn’t feel I had nothing left. I just went into survival mode. I felt I was just dead tired after that first round. I could feel Carlos kept pushing a strong pace and I wanted to keep pushing, too, but I didn’t have gas in the tank.

Condit shucked off two of Kampmann‘s three shots in the third round, and then poured it on by outstriking The Hitman 63-8.

The Natural Born Killer polished The Hitman off in the fourth by landing 15 significant strikes in the first minute of the round. Condit ultimately dropped Kampmann along the fence and landed a few vicious knees from the clinch to prompt referee Herb Dean to intervene just 54 seconds in.

Kampmann obviously tried to duplicate the blueprint produced by St-Pierre and Hendricks in their recent unanimous decision wins over Condit. Unfortunately for Kampmann, he didn’t realize how tiring that brand of game plan can get, especially against an ultra-feisty opponent like Condit.

“The faster you start, the faster you’re going to get tired, too, right?,” Kampmann said. “I wanted to come out and start good. I felt good in the first round, [and] I got the takedowns I wanted. I didn’t get the finish I wanted and I got tired, and I couldn’t keep up with the pace he was going at. That’s how he won.”

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Condit vs. Kampmann: Breaking Down the FightMetric Numbers

If you tuned in to UFC Fight Night 27 from Indianapolis on Wednesday, you saw some great action. From the barnburner that was Erik Perez-Takeya Mizugaki, to the Fight of the Night main event between Martin Kampmann and Carlos Condit, the night cer…

If you tuned in to UFC Fight Night 27 from Indianapolis on Wednesday, you saw some great action. From the barnburner that was Erik Perez-Takeya Mizugaki, to the Fight of the Night main event between Martin Kampmann and Carlos Condit, the night certainly did not disappoint fight fans.

In watching the main event, fans saw two different approaches to the fight. Kampmann wanted to use wrestling, as he did in their first encounter, while Condit was more into throwing strikes and making this a kickboxing match.

Using the FightMetric stats, let’s break down how this fight went.

 

Round 1

The first round was scored by most, if not all, in favor of the Dane. Kampmann was 4-of-5 in scoring takedowns, which earned him an 80 percent takedown rate. That was the story of the first round, even though Condit was able to get back to his feet multiple times.

In terms of striking, Condit had the edge here. Despite not having a lot of time on the feet and being on his back, Condit outlanded Kampmann 32-12.

Seeing these stats shows how close the round was, though the edge still went to the Danish fighter.

 

Round 2

The second round saw the beginning of Condit‘s breakout. Kampmann went 0-of-5 this time in terms of takedowns, showing Condit‘s ability to regroup after the break. Unable to get the takedown, he was faced with a kickboxing fight.

Condit again outstruck Kampmann 37-19. There was no doubt Condit was the winner of this round.

 

Round 3

This is the round where Kampmann began to tire. Although he was able to get a takedown, it took three tries to get it down that one time. However, when on the mat, it was Condit who had two submission attempts and a pass.

The on-the-feet-striking wasn’t close either. Condit output eight times the amount Kampmann did, landing 63-8 in total strikes landed.

This set up the final round.

 

Round 4

Only lasting 54 seconds, this round was obvious. Kampmann landed a takedown, but not for long. Condit got back to his feet and ended up outstriking the Dane 15-4. Out those 15 strikes came the finish that ended the fight. Due to knees and punches, “The Natural Born Killer” walked out the winner due to superior striking.

 

The total numbers were as follows: Condit landed 147 total strikes while going 0-of-2 on takedowns. He had two submission attempts, two passes and one reverse on the ground. Kampmann landed just 43 total strikes, while landing six of 15 takedowns.

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Twitter Reacts to Carlos Condit vs. Martin Kampmann Result

Many expected it to be Fight of the Night, and they were not disappointed. Carlos Condit and Martin Kampmann delivered a four-round war that ended with Condit smashing up Kampmann with punches and knees to the stoppage.

The first round belonged to Kam…

Many expected it to be Fight of the Night, and they were not disappointed. Carlos Condit and Martin Kampmann delivered a four-round war that ended with Condit smashing up Kampmann with punches and knees to the stoppage.

The first round belonged to Kampmann and his takedown prowess. While Condit did a good job off his back, Kampmann took the first stanza.

The rest of the fight was a back-and-forth affair. For the most part, Condit was getting the better of the exchanges on the feet while fighting off Kampmann’s shots.

Twitter was alive for this fight. For every moment, there seemed to be a comment from somebody in the MMA community. From the president himself, Dana White, to Bleacher Report’s own Scott “No Face” Harris to Bellator contender Douglas Lima, everybody had a say in the happenings as they came.

As the fight progressed, many wondered if the main event or an earlier scrap would get the Fight of the Night bonus. B/R’s Scott Harris weighed in.

Bellator welterweight Douglas Lima was quick to point out the furious pace that Condit set in the fight. It was a key factor in the former interim champion prevailing.

Team Jackson teammate and UFC middleweight Derek Brunson was quick to compliment Condit on his striking ability.

UFC president Dana White was complimentary of Martin Kampmann’s will, but questioned other parts of his game, something other MMA fans did as well.

Comedian Adam Hunter took to his MMA Roasted Twitter to crack jokes all night. However, his one about Martin Kampmann’s battered face was one of the funnier on the night.

Team Jackson member and UFC women’s bantamweight Julie Kedzie was excited for Condit’s win, but reflected on a subpar team effort on the night that saw fellow teammates like Erik Perez fall.

When it was all said and done, Bleacher Report was one of the first outlets to report on the Fight Night bonuses. The main event competitors didn’t walk away with light pockets.

As you can see, everybody had something to say about Fight Night 27. Dana White was perplexed with Martin Kampmann’s game plan, Derek Brunson pointed out Carlos Condit’s deadly striking, and Julie Kedzie voiced her support for a wounded-but-not-defeated Jackson’s MMA, which went 1-3 on the night.

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The Good, Bad and Strange from UFC Fight Night 27

After a three-year absence, the UFC returned to Indianapolis on Wednesday night for Fight Night 27.
While the card wasn’t stacked with high-profile names or championship tilts, the leather flew without regard for safety at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, as f…

After a three-year absence, the UFC returned to Indianapolis on Wednesday night for Fight Night 27.

While the card wasn’t stacked with high-profile names or championship tilts, the leather flew without regard for safety at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, as fighters from all levels of the UFC roster looked to take a step up the ladder. 

The main event bout between Carlos Condit and Martin Kampmann was a rematch four years in the making. Both fighters have been staples in the upper tier of the welterweight division for the past several years, and their matchup at Fight Night 27 was to determine who would stay and who would go in the contender’s mix at 170 pounds.

The pressure was on, and “The Natural Born Killer” responded in impressive fashion.

After spending the first round on his back, Condit came to life and put on a clinic via punches and kicks to Kampmann‘s face. The former interim champion landed a knee in the early stages of the fourth round that brought about the beginning of the end for the Danish striker. 

The co-main event featured a battle of lightweights looking to enter the title shot conversation as Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone squared off with surging Brazilian Rafael dos Anjos. The 30-year-old Jackson’s MMA-trained fighter had won three of his past four showings, where “RDA” had collected four consecutive victories of his own.

There was plenty on the line for each fighter on Wednesday night, but it was dos Anjos who made a statement in Indianapolis. The 28-year-old solidified himself in the upper tier of the ultra-competitive lightweight division by taking the unanimous decision victory on the judges’ scorecards.

Where the two fights at the top of the card earned the lion’s share of the attention in the buildup to Fight Night 27, the card was filled with plenty of gritty action from top to bottom. Several fighters had impressive showings on the sport’s biggest stage, while others had far from stellar performances.

That being said, mixed in between all the face-punching and guillotine chokes, there were a handful of curious happenings in the “Circle City.”

Let’s take a look at the good, bad and strange from UFC Fight Night 27.

 

The Good

Condit put himself back in the game at Fight Night 27. After dropping back-to-back fights to champion Georges St-Pierre and current No. 1 contender Johny Hendricks, The Natural Born Killer was eager to fight his way back into title contention against Kampmann on Wednesday night.

While “The Hitman” used his wrestling to get the edge early, after the first round it was all Condit. The Jackson’s MMA fighter battered Kampmann at every turn and eventually secured the finish in the fourth round.

Condit‘s victory will keep him in the highly competitive mix of the welterweight division, and his performance in Indianapolis is further proof the Albuquerque native is still one of MMA’s fiercest finishers. 

Rafael dos Anjos has been quietly building a case for a title shot. The well-rounded Brazilian came into his bout with Cerrone on a tear, and with a victory over Cowboy, dos Anjos puts himself on the radar for title contention.

The Kings MMA fighter took the fight directly to the former WEC lightweight title challenger and battered Cerrone for the first two rounds. While Cerrone bounced back in the final frame, it wasn’t enough to turn the tide, and dos Anjos took the unanimous decision victory.

With the win over Cerrone, “RDA” guarantees his next challenge will come against one of the division’s best.

Coming off winning The Ultimate Fighter and upsetting Uriah Hall, 21-year-old Kelvin Gastelum came in to Fight Night 27 with a lot of expectation, and he absolutely delivered on Wednesday night.

The Team Reign fighter made a successful welterweight debut by earning a first-round submission victory over Brian Melancon. The TUF winner ate a few big shots early, but he dropped the Strikeforce transplant with an uppercut before finishing him off with a rear-naked choke.

With the victory, Gastelum keeps his undefeated record intact, and the buzz surrounding him will continue to grow.

All the hype going in to Fight Night 27 was on Erik Perez, but apparently no one translated it to Takeya Mizugaki. The scrappy Japanese bantamweight brought the ruckus directly to the highly touted prospect to pull off the upset split-decision victory.

Mizugaki got the best of Perez in nearly every exchange throughout the three-round affair, and in doing so, he picked up his third consecutive win. While he has had trouble staying in the win column consistently, there is no doubt Mizugaki always shows up to fight, and his performance on Wednesday night was another solid example.

It wasn’t pretty by any means, but Brad Tavares picked up his fourth consecutive victory over Bubba McDaniel.

Moving on.

The featherweight division has quickly become one of the most competitive collections under the UFC banner. A handful of fighters are battling to earn a shot at the 145-pound crown, and Darren Elkins kept himself in the title shot conversation by defeating Hatsu Hioki on Wednesday night.

The Indiana native was coming off a first-round knockout against former title challenger Chad Mendes in April at UFC on Fox 7, but he fought his way back into the win column as he earned a unanimous decision victory over the Japanese veteran. Despite Hioki landing a body kick that injured him in the early goings, Elkins battled back strong to win the fight on the judges’ scorecards.

“The Damage” has now been successful in six of his past seven outings, and his win in Indianapolis will guarantee his next showing will come against a top-ranked opponent.

There was solid hype surrounding Brandon Thatch’s UFC debut, and he didn’t disappoint. The Colorado native put on a impressive performance as he scored a first-round knockout over TUF alum Justin Edwards at Fight Night 27.

While the fight didn’t last long enough for Thatch to put his full skill set on display, he showed enough to prove he belongs competing inside the Octagon.

The third time is a charm for Jason High. The “Kansas City Bandit” had come out on the business end of his two previous showings under the UFC banner, but the veteran picked up his first official UFC win on Wednesday night against James Head.

High looked impressive as he pressed the action from the opening bell until he locked in the fight-ending guillotine choke.

 

The Bad

The previous installment of “Good, Bad and Strange” for Fight Night 26 marked the first time a referee had been featured in my fight night musings. Yet, where Kevin McDonald did a remarkable job of handling the violent frenzy that was Michael McDonald vs. Brad Pickett, on Wednesday night, referee Rob Hinds had the opposite performance. 

During the opening round of Roger Bowling vs. Abel Trujillo, the official pulled a referee “no no” by touching the fighters during a submission attempt. Bowling had Trujillo locked in a guillotine choke when an overeager Hinds tapped the Cincinnati native’s arm. Typically a touch from the referee means the fight is over, but fortunately, Bowling didn’t respond and kept the choke intact.

While that mishap was a bad look on Hinds’ behalf, it was far from the worst.

After Trujillo plugged two questionable knees into a grounded Bowling, Hinds called time citing the blows were done intentionally, then changed his mind and deemed them unintentional after the fight was called. This lead to the bout being called a “no-contest” rather than Trujillo being disqualified.

There is no doubt calling live action is a difficult task inside the cage, but a referee has to stick to his original call.

 

The Strange

While losing to Mizugaki is nothing for Erik Perez to hang his head about, the buzz surrounding him certainly suffered at Fight Night 27. The UFC has made no secret of its plans to take the Octagon to Mexico, and with “Goyito” being part of the marketing machine, Perez continuing to win was key.

The unfortunate aspect of the situation is that Perez put on an exciting fight against a gritty, proven veteran, but he came out on the short end of the split decision. At 23 years old, there is still plenty of time for Perez to come into his own, but it will be interesting to see how this fight affected his status in that particular push.

Normally, a loss will derail the hype train, but I’m not sure if that will be the case with Perez.

The fight between Dylan Andrews and Papy Abedi may have started off uneventful, but it certainly didn’t end that way.

“The Villain” battled back from serious adversity in the form of an injured shoulder to score a third-round knockout victory over the heavy-handed Abedi. An Abedi slam caused the injury, but Andrews battled through and finished the fight in impressive fashion as he left the Swedish fighter face down on the canvas. 

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