Chael Sonnen, Kevin Lee, Matt Mitrione and Brent Primus were all big winners over the weekend, but what stood out? In all honestly, it was a big letdown for many fighters because of circumstances beyond their control. Sonnen out-wrestled Wanderlei Silva, but the bout brought a less-than-impressive conclusion to their rivalry. Lee scored a first […]
Chael Sonnen, Kevin Lee, Matt Mitrione and Brent Primus were all big winners over the weekend, but what stood out? In all honestly, it was a big letdown for many fighters because of circumstances beyond their control. Sonnen out-wrestled Wanderlei Silva, but the bout brought a less-than-impressive conclusion to their rivalry. Lee scored a first […]
Instead of a fitting conclusion to a rivalry that had gained a ton of traction in recent weeks, MMA fans and the fighters involved were left with a highly anticlimactic feeling when rising lightweight contender Kevin Lee submitted Michael Chiesa with a controversial choke in the main event of last night’s (Sun., June 25, 2017) UFC […]
Instead of a fitting conclusion to a rivalry that had gained a ton of traction in recent weeks, MMA fans and the fighters involved were left with a highly anticlimactic feeling when rising lightweight contender Kevin Lee submitted Michael Chiesa with a controversial choke in the main event of last night’s (Sun., June 25, 2017) UFC Fight Night 112 from the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
While it was clear that Lee was using superior footwork, speed, athleticism, and to the surprise of many, grappling to dominate Chiesa throughout the majority of the one-round bout, referee Mario Yamasaki muddied the result and called off the fight without Chiesa tapping out or passing out. His only defense could have been he saw Chiesa passing out so he went to save him from more damage, but even might be a flimsy one.
Either way, Chiesa was understandably frustrated with and will appeal the call finishing his main event fight, and he channeled his energy when he went off on the decision after the debated match-up. “Maverick” told FOX Sports that the call was incredibly questionable because women’s strawweight Justine Kish was locked in a tight rear-naked choke from Felice Herrig just a few fights earlier on the main card and was allowed to escape:
“It’s unbalanced officiating when two fights before that, we seen, who was it, Justine Kish just gettin’ her head squeezed off, and they didn’t do anything about it. Like, how are you gonna let that slide, but we go into the main event slot, a heated rival, hyped fight, and you let it crumble like this.”
Photo by: Sean Pokorny for USA TODAY Sports
While any appeal is unlikely to result in the loss being overturned, Chiesa then let loose with his true feelings about Yamasaki, an incredibly controversial referee who has gained what can now legitimately be called an grossly inconsistent decision-making process in terms of when he does and doesn’t call fights off. Chiesa said Yamasaki should never referee another MMA fight again:
“I mean Mario Yamasaki should just crawl into a hole and never step inside of any type of professional mixed martial arts events, he should never officiate ever again. He should spend more time going over the rules than making his stupid little heart symbols to the cameras.”
It’s a brutal assessment to be sure, yet it’s not exactly all that far off-base from what many have been saying about Yamasaki for some time now, even if Chiesa is biased and obviously speaking from a place of elevated emotion in the minutes after the jaw-droppingly silly call.
So Lee agreed to give Chiesa a rematch in his post-fight interview, but warned his rival that the result would just be more of the same. “Maverick” isn’t buying it, of course, and wants to rematch The Motown Phenom” in his home of Detroit this December. 155-pound champion Conor McGregor is off training for his boxing mega bout with Floyd Mayweather on August 26, so the top level of the stacked UFC lightweight class is in a sort of holding pattern right now anyway.
Is a rematch the right fight to make, or should the UFC move on to a bigger and better match-up for Lee, such as an incredibly promising match with Edson Barboza?
There was controversy during Sunday’s UFC Fight Night 112 in Oklahoma City, and Michael Chiesa was not pleased with the officiating.
He “should just crawl in a hole” and “never referee again” Chiesa said of official Mario Yamasaki, per Mike Bohn of USA…
There was controversy during Sunday’s UFC Fight Night 112 in Oklahoma City, and Michael Chiesa was not pleased with the officiating.
He “should just crawl in a hole” and “never referee again” Chiesa said of official Mario Yamasaki, per Mike Bohn of USA Today.
The comments came after Kevin Lee submitted Chiesa with a rear-naked choke late in the first round, although Chiesa never tapped out or went to sleep, per Lucas Rezende of Bloody Elbow. Yamasaki still stopped the fight, causing Chiesa‘s outrage.
UFC fighters Michael Johnson, Chris Camozzi and Aljamain Sterling did not agree with Yamasaki‘s decision to stop the fight, either:
To be fair to Lee, he was in control throughout the first round and appeared well on his way to victory if things followed suit. While the controversial ending will be remembered, he was the better and more physical fighter before being declared the winner.
“It was coming anyway,” Lee said of his victory, per Marc Raimondi of MMA Fighting. “I didn’t feel the tap. I never do. I just did what Mario told me.”
Raimondi explained “this is the latest in a string of controversial endings involving Yamasaki, most of which are late stoppages.” Raimondi pointed out UFC president Dana White even “blasted” the official for what he saw as a late stoppage last year.
For his part, Chiesa challenged Lee to a rematch after the loss, so UFC fans may get the opportunity to see this fight again—likely with different officiating.
What a night of fights the mixed martial arts (MMA) world got to check out earlier tonight (Sun. June 25, 2017) at UFC Fight Night 112 from Oklahoma City. In the opening fight of the night, UFC 205-pound newcomer Jeremy Kimball got his first win inside the Octagon when he stopped Josh Stansbury in the first […]
What a night of fights the mixed martial arts (MMA) world got to check out earlier tonight (Sun. June 25, 2017) at UFC Fight Night 112 from Oklahoma City.
In the opening fight of the night, UFC 205-pound newcomer Jeremy Kimball got his first win inside the Octagon when he stopped Josh Stansbury in the first round of their fight. For his spectacular performance, Kimball will be taking home an extra $50,000 in his pocket.
On the main card, one of the hottest prospects at light heavyweight made his UFC debut in dominant fashion, as he made quick work of opponent Joachim Christensen in just 29 seconds with a first round knockout. The win marked Reyes’ fourth straight first round finish, with all but seven of his MMA career victories now coming in the first round. For his efforts, Reyes earns a $50,000 bonus.
In the co-main event of the evening, UFC middleweight veteran Tim Boetsch spoiled former UFC welterweight champ Johny Hendricks’ run at 185 pounds, by landing a vicious headkick that sent “Big Rigg” down for the count. For his spectacular finish for Hendricks, who missed weight at 188 pounds, “The Barbarian” will pocket an extra $50,000.
Mandatory Credit: Sean Pokorny-USA TODAY Sports
Finally, in our main event of the evening No. 6-ranked Michael Chiesa and No. 11-ranked Kevin Lee locked themselves inside “The Ultimate Proving Ground” to settle their differences. Despite getting taken down early in the fight, Lee was able to get a nasty takedown of his own and take “Maverick’s” back.
After locking in a deep rear-naked choke, referee Mario Yamasaki decided to waive off the bout despite the fact that Chiesa hadn’t passed out or tapped out. Although the finish was a controversial one, Lee’s win will go down in the record books as a first round submission victory and he will also be taking home a bonus check of $50,000.
UFC Fight Night 112 in Oklahoma City featured a strong prelim and main card, but all that will be forgotten after a controversial finish to tonight’s main event between Michael Chiesa and Kevin Lee.
Lee was able to come away with the victory after (kin…
UFC Fight Night 112 in Oklahoma City featured a strong prelim and main card, but all that will be forgotten after a controversial finish to tonight’s main event between Michael Chiesa and Kevin Lee.
Lee was able to come away with the victory after (kind of) submitting Chiesa.
You can’t take anything away from Lee’s performance, no matter how much you disagree with referee Mario Yamasaki stopping the fight.
Lee did well to avoid Chiesa’s armbar and transition to get Chiesa’s back. Once Lee got the body triangle in place, it only seemed like a matter of time until Lee would get under Chiesa’s chin for the rear-naked choke.
Eventually, Lee was able to get under the chin and put the squeeze on Chiesa, but the referee stepped in to separate the fighters before Chiesa tapped out.
It could be argued that Chiesa’s left arm went a little limp, but he appeared to still be awake and looking to put his elbow down on the mat to turn his body in an effort to stand up. Yamasaki tried to protect Chiesa, but he may have stopped the fight too soon.
Lee was on pace to win the fight, or at the very least the round, so a rematch could be on the books later this year, specifically in December as Lee and Chiesa said post-fight inside of the Octagon.
But let’s move on from tonight’s main event and take a look at the rest of the main card.
Main card results:
Kevin Lee def. Michael Chiesa via submission (RNC) (1st, 4:37)
Tim Boetsch def. Johny Hendricks via second-round TKO (0:46)
Dominick Reyes def. Joachim Christensen via first-round TKO (0:29)
Tim Means def. Alex Garcia via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Dennis Siver def. BJ Penn via majority decision (28-28, 29-28, 29-27)
Siver seals Penn’s fate
Let’s get one thing straight about the future of BJ Penn in the UFC: There shouldn’t be one.
Penn wants to keep fighting because he can’t find a life outside of fighting, and that’s fine. But it shouldn’t happen in the UFC anymore.
There are other organizations, like Rizin in Japan, where he can go to fight and still be a star. Getting punished fight after fight by some of the world’s best strikers is bad for Penn’s health, fight fans and the legitimacy of the UFC.
In the first round, Penn didn’t get much off in terms of offense and seemed comfortable watching Siver throw leg kicks to the body while putting together a few combinations. However, Pen didn’t shoot for a single takedown not only in the first round but at any time in the fight.
Penn had an opportunity in the second round to take care of Siver after landing a beautiful uppercut that sent Siver to the canvas, but instead of trying to gain full mount and work for a submission, Penn just put his weight on Siver, waiting for the round to end.
The third round wasn’t much of a fight, and Penn looked like he didn’t want to be there.
Siver looked sharp and in shape after two years away from the Octagon, but he should’ve finished Penn in the third round. Penn couldn’t walk from the damage done to his lead leg and was breathing heavy, constantly walking away from Siver.
The win was big for Siver, who can now look forward to getting back into the top 15 of the featherweight division with a couple more victories under his belt, but the loss for Penn was his fifth in a row and he hasn’t won since 2010.
It’s time for the UFC and athletic commissions to protect Penn and stop him from fighting.
By any Means necessary
Alex Garcia can be a very frustrating fighter, and nothing changed Sunday against Tim Means. Garcia was waiting for an opening to counter Means, but that opening never came. Means used his size and kept distance between himself and Garcia’s power, which was a smart move since Garcia seemed to be loading up on every strike he attempted to land.
Call it methodical and perhaps a bit boring, but Means did what he had to do to earn the decision. Why should he have to go out of his way and allow Garcia to come closer in range to deliver a lethal blow if he can outsmart Garcia at arm’s length?
After an awkward couple of fights against Alex Oliveira, including a no contest and a submission loss, Means is back in the win column and, even at the age of 33, there is still a lot of room for him to grow in the welterweight division.
As for Garcia, he needs to go back to the drawing board.
At the end of the first round, Garcia looked as if he was just doing his best to conserve energy for the second and third rounds, but he didn’t look to pounce on Means and be the aggressor. Instead, he waited for the third round.
But Means was ready for anything Garcia was willing to throw at him and wasn’t going to let him get near to landing a haymaker to change the outcome of the bout. Garcia has the skill-set and power to be a force in the 170-pound division, but he needs to improve his endurance and become a more aggressive fighter if he ever wants to become more than an above average fighter in the UFC.
Reyes sets world on fire in debut
What’s the best way to introduce yourself to the light heavyweight division in your UFC debut? By knocking out your opponent in less than 30 seconds.
Dominick Reyes was a highly-touted prospect coming into his fight against Joachim Christensen, but he may have cemented himself as an immediate threat to the top 10 of the division after flat-lining Christensen with a vicious straight left.
The two punches he landed once Christensen hit the deck were unnecessary, but you fight until the referee stops you.
Reyes didn’t call out any top fighters after his first UFC win, but it will be interesting to see what the UFC decides to do with a fighter who has a lot of hype who knock people out with a single punch in a division that is desperate for top-flight contenders.
Now 7-0, Reyes has options, and that’s always good to have in the fight game. As for Christensen, the fight ended so quickly it’s hard for him to imagine what he could have done much differently besides covering up a little better. Look for Reyes to emerge as the next wave of 205-pound contenders in the next year.
Herrig picks up another win
Felice Herrig almost had the submission win over Justine Kish, but she’ll take the dominant victory and continue to wreak havoc on 115-pound division.
Herrig was Kish’s backpack for the majority of the fight as Kish couldn’t shake off Herrig for the entire fight, struggling to compete with Herrig’s jiu-jitsu. It got to the point where anytime Kish was able to stand herself up, she received a resounding applause for the effort. That’s how good Herrig was tonight.
The fight was almost stopped halfway through the third round as Herrig had a very tight rear-naked choke on Kish and it only seemed like a matter of time before Kish either tapped or went out cold.
Credit to the referee for not pulling apart the fighters despite how tight the choke looked as Kish was able to miraculously get Herrig’s forearm from under her chin, allowing her to survive all three rounds.
For Herrig, the win marks her third in a row as she looks to continue her rise to the top of the division. Currently ranked No. 13 in the strawweight division, it might be time for Herrig to get a top-10 fight the next time she steps inside the Octagon.
Perhaps a date with former champion Carla Esparza could be next, who also earned a win tonight.
Boetsch ruins Hendricks’ homecoming
Tim Boetsch came to Oklahoma City with a huge target on his back, fighting the hometown boy in Johny Hendricks. Fortunately for Boetsch, the fight didn’t last very long thanks in part to a perfectly placed right head kick that hit Hendricks above the ear, knocking him off balance and back against the cage.
Boetsch was able to set up the head kick by targeting Hendricks’ lead right leg, making Hendricks think twice about putting weight on his right foot to launch his dangerous left hook. Boetsch was able to pounce on Hendricks once he landed the head kick and didn’t let the hometown boy breathe.
With a flurry of uppercuts, Hendricks’ body slumped down against the cage and was saved by the referee who had seen enough. The victory was big for Boetsch, who needed a bit of a lift after getting submitted in his last fight by Jacare Souza. He should be looking for another top-15 fight next.
As for Hendricks, what more can you say? After a successful debut at middleweight, it looked as if Hendricks finally found a new home at 185 pounds until he came in overweight on Saturday. Does the UFC give him anymore leash to make weight again? Or has the organization become fed up with the lack of discipline Hendricks shows outside of fight camp?
Maybe 205 pounds is next for Hendricks if he can’t get his act together. But besides his weight, it’s clear that the former welterweight champion has lost a step. Or two, for that matter.
Losing to Boetsch was big for Hendricks, especially since he was fighting in front of a home crowd. Maybe he needs some time off to get his act (and weight) together before coming back to the Octagon. For his sake, he should take the rest of 2017 off.
Although it featured a match-up between two of the talented UFC lightweight division’s best up-and-coming contenders, the main event of tonight’s (Sun., June 25, 2017) UFC Fight Night 112 from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, didn’t receive much attention or promotion until the two got into an infamous brawl at a UFC pre-summer press conference when Lee mentioned […]
Although it featured a match-up between two of the talented UFC lightweight division’s best up-and-coming contenders, the main event of tonight’s (Sun., June 25, 2017) UFC Fight Night 112 from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, didn’t receive much attention or promotion until the two got into an infamous brawl at a UFC pre-summer press conference when Lee mentioned Chiesa’s mother in his trash talk.
After a bad blood-filled buildup, the two talented mat technicians met to settle their differences in the octagon, and it resulted in a highly controversial finish after Lee absolutely dominated the early action. “The Motown Phenom” actually took Chiesa’s back and rained down some huge strikes, creating a path for a tight choke hold that very well may have caused a legit finish to the fight.
But referee Mario Yamasaki, who has been more than highly criticized for his incredibly inconsistent stoppage calls when fighters’ health is on the line, called an end to the bout before Chiesa tapped, causing controversy to what should have been Lee’s defining moment.
Watch the full fight video highlights of the controversial submission win right here:
Was it a legit finish? Kevin Lee with a submission on Michael Chiesa that we'll be talking about for awhile! #UFCOKChttps://t.co/mOFBUonnem
There was controversy during Sunday’s UFC Fight Night 112 in Oklahoma City, and 