(To this day, we still cannot watch this knockout without mourning what could have been.)
Heading into his UFC debut against Eddie Sanchez at UFC 67, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic was already considered by many to be the far and away best striker in the UFC’s heavyweight division, if not in all of MMA. His left high kick had become the thing of legend thanks to his devastating wins over Aleksander Emelianenko, Igor Vovchanchyn and Wanderlei Silva in PRIDE, to the point that it kinda-sorta became our slogan. And after he defeated Sanchez via a first round TKO set into motion by that very same kick, we figured it was only a matter of time before we saw “Mirko Cro Cop: UFC Heavyweight Champion” pasted on every UFC poster imaginable.
But as they so often do, the MMA Gods threw a wrench into our (and Mirko’s) plans at UFC 70: Nations Collide on April 21st, 2007 — seven years ago today. In a heavyweight title eliminator match that served as the evening’s main event, the Croatian special forces officer was paired against Gabriel Gonzaga, a Cro magnon-looking Brazilian who had scored three consecutive finishes (two TKO, one sub) in his first three UFC contests. Cro Cop was listed as over a 5-to-1 favorite across the board.
Any notion that the fight would be an easy win for Mirko was erased in the first round, however, as Gonzaga managed to take Filipovic down on multiple occasions and batter him with vicious elbows from on top for the majority of five minutes.
(To this day, we still cannot watch this knockout without mourning what could have been.)
Heading into his UFC debut against Eddie Sanchez at UFC 67, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic was already considered by many to be the far and away best striker in the UFC’s heavyweight division, if not in all of MMA. His left high kick had become the thing of legend thanks to his devastating wins over Aleksander Emelianenko, Igor Vovchanchyn and Wanderlei Silva in PRIDE, to the point that it kinda-sorta became our slogan. And after he defeated Sanchez via a first round TKO set into motion by that very same kick, we figured it was only a matter of time before we saw “Mirko Cro Cop: UFC Heavyweight Champion” pasted on every UFC poster imaginable.
But as they so often do, the MMA Gods threw a wrench into our (and Mirko’s) plans at UFC 70: Nations Collide on April 21st, 2007 — seven years ago today. In a heavyweight title eliminator match that served as the evening’s main event, the Croatian special forces officer was paired against Gabriel Gonzaga, a Cro magnon-looking Brazilian who had scored three consecutive finishes (two TKO, one sub) in his first three UFC contests. Cro Cop was listed as over a 5-to-1 favorite across the board.
Any notion that the fight would be an easy win for Mirko was erased in the first round, however, as Gonzaga managed to take Filipovic down on multiple occasions and batter him with vicious elbows from on top for the majority of five minutes.
In perhaps the most dramatic twist of fate in MMA history, Gonzaga Cro-Copped Cro Cop with a head kick, sending him crashing to the mat with his ankle twisted hideously beneath him. The KO came with just 9 seconds left in the round, and to this day remains one of the most shocking and unexpected knockouts of all time. In fact, the knockout was incredible enough to land on the UFC’s “Ultimate 100 Knockouts” list at #3, behind only Barboza vs. Etim and Silva vs. Belfort.
The devastating KO would earn Gonzaga a shot at Randy Couture — who just so happened to be on hand for his brutal KO of Filipovic — with the heavyweight title on the line at UFC 74. Despite nearly ending Couture’s run in the same fashion as Cro Cop’s with a high kick in the first round, Gonzaga would suffer a third round TKO defeat to the legend and would go just 3-4 before being released by the UFC in 2010. A brief retirement would follow before Gonzaga returned to the UFC, where he has gone 5-2 since.
Although Gina Carano may have stepped away from our beloved sport years ago, her ability to captivate and stimulate MMA fans in gif form remains unmatched to this day. But none of the truly amazing photos, screengrabs, or gifs Carano has been responsible for over the years hold a candle to the night she was captured biting her lip at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz on April 11th, 2009 — five years ago today.
In fact, nothing Carano has done since — not the sexy dance or Haywireor even fighting for the Strikeforce Women’s championship — quite compares to the glorious night she bit her lip while staring directly into the soul of our wieners, and I say that with all due respect. Because above all else, Carano has always been a bit of a trailblazer. She brought women’s MMA into the mainstream and was one of the sport’s first crossover stars, to the point that she is still being used to promote WMMA despite leaving it behind some 5 years ago. She also was the first female fighter to bite her lip on camera, capturing the imagination of the country in doing so. And for that last thing, we give thanks.
But there is an unsung hero in all this, a person who truly helped launch Carano’s lip-biting career into the stratosphere and one who finally deserves his due credit. I’m talking about the Strikeforce cameraman who was given the simple assignment of filming Gina Carano sitting ringside and used the opportunity to forever cement his place in MMA History, of course. I don’t mean to overstate this, but the way he ever so slightly pushed in on Carano (phrasing) just in time for the lip bite is a moment of filmmaking history comparable to Spielberg’s dolly zoom shot in Jaws.
Georgia O’Keeffe spent most of her career trying to capture the essence of female sexuality, strength, and femininity, and this anonymous Strikeforce cameraman managed to do it in under 15 seconds. So on this day, we salute you, Strikeforce cameraman responsible for the Gina Carano lip-bite gif (“Reeeeal men of geeenius…”).
Oh yeah, Nick Diaz vs. Frank Shamrock also went down on this day five years ago. We’ve thrown a full video of their fight after the jump, if you’re into that sort of thing.
Although Gina Carano may have stepped away from our beloved sport years ago, her ability to captivate and stimulate MMA fans in gif form remains unmatched to this day. But none of the truly amazing photos, screengrabs, or gifs Carano has been responsible for over the years hold a candle to the night she was captured biting her lip at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz on April 11th, 2009 — five years ago today.
In fact, nothing Carano has done since — not the sexy dance or Haywireor even fighting for the Strikeforce Women’s championship — quite compares to the glorious night she bit her lip while staring directly into the soul of our wieners, and I say that with all due respect. Because above all else, Carano has always been a bit of a trailblazer. She brought women’s MMA into the mainstream and was one of the sport’s first crossover stars, to the point that she is still being used to promote WMMA despite leaving it behind some 5 years ago. She also was the first female fighter to bite her lip on camera, capturing the imagination of the country in doing so. And for that last thing, we give thanks.
But there is an unsung hero in all this, a person who truly helped launch Carano’s lip-biting career into the stratosphere and one who finally deserves his due credit. I’m talking about the Strikeforce cameraman who was given the simple assignment of filming Gina Carano sitting ringside and used the opportunity to forever cement his place in MMA History, of course. I don’t mean to overstate this, but the way he ever so slightly pushed in on Carano (phrasing) just in time for the lip bite is a moment of filmmaking history comparable to Spielberg’s dolly zoom shot in Jaws.
Georgia O’Keeffe spent most of her career trying to capture the essence of female sexuality, strength, and femininity, and this anonymous Strikeforce cameraman managed to do it in under 15 seconds. So on this day, we salute you, Strikeforce cameraman responsible for the Gina Carano lip-bite gif (“Reeeeal men of geeenius…”).
Oh yeah, Nick Diaz vs. Frank Shamrock also went down on this day five years ago. We’ve thrown a full video of their fight after the jump, if you’re into that sort of thing.
I have a couple theories on how superstardom is created in combat sports:
1) Every great fighter needs a great rival to stand in opposition to — an equally skilled counterpart who can push him competitively and generate personal animosity.
Both of these theories can help explain why Chuck Liddell was — and continues to be — a cultural phenomenon, and arguably the most famous MMA fighter of all time. They also help explain why some of today’s UFC champions struggle to find the same kind of relevance.
Ten years ago today, Chuck Liddell cemented his stardom by knocking out Tito Ortiz at UFC 47: It’s On!, which took place April 2nd, 2004, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Even though it was a non-title fight, Liddell vs. Ortiz 1 was the most compelling, highly-anticipated bout in UFC history to that point — a once-in-a-blue-moon meeting of two rivals who were both incredibly talented, and opposites in every measurable way. It had a storyline as dramatic and exaggerated as any pro-wrestling feud, and yet, somehow, it was real.
Chuck Liddell was the hero, of course. Humble and laconic, Chuck talked with his fists. The only time he showed emotion was after he knocked a guy out, after which he would gallop around the cage, then lean back with his fists at his sides, screaming at the air, the usual deadness in his eyes replaced by unrestrained insanity. He had a cool nickname and a cooler mohawk. He was a white guy, and yes, that does matter. His name was “Chuck,” for God’s sake.
I have a couple theories on how superstardom is created in combat sports:
1) Every great fighter needs a great rival to stand in opposition to — an equally skilled counterpart who can push him competitively and generate personal animosity.
Both of these theories can help explain why Chuck Liddell was — and continues to be — a cultural phenomenon, and arguably the most famous MMA fighter of all time. They also help explain why some of today’s UFC champions struggle to find the same kind of relevance.
Ten years ago today, Chuck Liddell cemented his stardom by knocking out Tito Ortiz at UFC 47: It’s On!, which took place April 2nd, 2004, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Even though it was a non-title fight, Liddell vs. Ortiz 1 was the most compelling, highly-anticipated bout in UFC history to that point — a once-in-a-blue-moon meeting of two rivals who were both incredibly talented, and opposites in every measurable way. It had a storyline as dramatic and exaggerated as any pro-wrestling feud, and yet, somehow, it was real.
Chuck Liddell was the hero, of course. Humble and laconic, Chuck talked with his fists. The only time he showed emotion was after he knocked a guy out, after which he would gallop around the cage, then lean back with his fists at his sides, screaming at the air, the usual deadness in his eyes replaced by unrestrained insanity. He had a cool nickname and a cooler mohawk. He was a white guy, and yes, that does matter. His name was “Chuck,” for God’s sake.
Naturally, Tito Ortiz was the villain. Tito loved to talk, even though he was never really that good at it. But he also understood that mental warfare was just as important as the battle that happened inside the cage. He was a ground-and-pound artist — not a standup fighter — who enjoyed discussing what he was going to do to you, how he was going to hurt you. His hair was closely cropped and dyed blonde. He was born Jacob Christopher Ortiz, but performed under the name “Tito” in an apparent attempt to gain Hispanic fans and piss off everybody else. It worked.
The fact that Ortiz never fought Liddell during Ortiz’s light-heavyweight title run — which Randy Couture had recently ended at UFC 44 — led many UFC fans to suggest that Ortiz was “ducking” Liddell. (Ortiz had his own explanations for why the matchup was delayed.) At any rate, that bit of backstory only helped the narrative: Ortiz was a coward at heart, and Liddell was finally going to prove it.
At the time, Liddell was coming off a disappointing run in the PRIDE 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix, where he was TKO’d by Quinton Jackson in the semi-finals. Essentially, it was a publicity stunt that backfired. Instead of proving the superiority of UFC fighters over PRIDE fighters, Liddell couldn’t even beat the guy who came in second place to Wanderlei Silva. So in addition to his rivalry with Ortiz, there was a personal redemption angle in place at UFC 47 as well. And so, Liddell vs. Ortiz had every single element required to be a legendary fight. Here’s how it played out…
Ortiz looked tense from the beginning. He tried to box with Liddell, and ate counter punches for his efforts. Chuck’s power was making Tito nervous. Ortiz made two ineffectual takedown attempts in round one, both of which were easily defended by the Iceman, the best sprawl-and-brawler in the sport. As the round ended, Chuck landed a barrage of punches and a head kick, and all Ortiz could do in response was shove Big John McCarthy like the heel he was, and shout at Chuck that he wasn’t hurt.
Ortiz opened up round two with a sharp leg kick. It was the last significant strike he’d land. The two fighters clashed in a striking exchange shortly after, and Tito came away rubbing his right eye like he’d been poked. But McCarthy didn’t see it, and Liddell didn’t care. What follows is one of the most brutal finishing sequences in UFC history — a homicidal assault of punches from Liddell that made Ortiz crumple, as anybody would. It was over.
That night kicked off the most successful period of Liddell’s UFC career. It was the first in a string of seven consecutive KO/TKO victories from 2004-2006, which included a title fight win over Randy Couture the following year at UFC 52, a redemptive TKO of Jeremy Horn — the man who was responsible for Liddell’s first loss, back in March 1999 — then another KO of Couture, a second TKO of Renato Sobral just for fun, and another knockout of Ortiz at UFC 66 in December 2006.
I’ll close with this fun fact: Liddell vs. Ortiz 1 was just the second UFC PPV to earn 100,000 buys. Liddell vs. Ortiz 2 was the first UFC PPV to break one million buys. In other words, their second fight was literally ten times more successful than the first. It redefined the metrics of success in mixed martial arts, and you can thank Chuck Liddell for that. But if you do, don’t forget to thank Tito Ortiz as well, because without a bad guy, it’s just not a very good story, is it?
Full UFC 47 results are below…
MAIN CARD
Chuck Liddell def. Tito Ortiz via KO, 0:38 of round 22
Chris Lytle def. Tiki Ghosn via submission (bulldog choke), 1:55 of round 2
Yves Edwards def. Hermes Franca via split decision
Andrei Arlovski def. Wesley Correira via TKO, 1:15 of round 2 Nick Diaz def. Robbie Lawler via KO, 2:31 of round 2
Mike Kyle def. Wes Sims via KO, 4:59 of round 1
PRELIMINARY CARD
Jonathan Wiezorek def. Wade Shipp via TKO, 4:39 of round 1
Genki Sudo def. Mike Brown via submission (armbar), 3:31 of round 1
(Major thanks to r/MMA for refreshing our memories.)
“On This Day in MMA History” pays tribute to some of the more bizarre and infamous moments from MMA’s past. Seven years ago today, Nick Diaz and Takanori Gomi engaged in a classic battle at PRIDE 33: The Second Coming, only to have Diaz’s gogoplata win overturned as the result of a failed drug test for marijuana. Not that a little weed could ever soil the memory of what turned out to be one of the most thrilling fights in PRIDE history.
“That little guy, I don’t know what the fuck, he was doing some karate in there…he’s fuckin’ do some little Hadouken fuckin’ punch in there to me.” — Nick Diaz, whimsically breaking down his all out war with Takanori Gomi at Pride 33: Second Coming on February 24, 2007 — seven years ago today.
Heading into their clash at Pride 33, Takanori Gomi was considered the undisputed king of the promotion’s lightweight division, and possibly, the entire lightweight landscape, having collected 13 wins beside just 1 loss with 7 brutal knockouts in his Pride run. Diaz, on the other hand, was riding a two-fight win streak in the UFC and had just made the genius decision to cut his second stint short by signing with Gracie Fighting Championships, a promotion that went under almost as soon as it sprang up. Itching for a fight, Diaz then signed a two-fight deal with Pride and agreed to face Gomi in a 160 lb. catchweight bout in his debut.
What ensued was a ten minute battle for the ages.
(Major thanks to r/MMA for refreshing our memories.)
“On This Day in MMA History” pays tribute to some of the more bizarre and infamous moments from MMA’s past. Seven years ago today, Nick Diaz and Takanori Gomi engaged in a classic battle at PRIDE 33: The Second Coming, only to have Diaz’s gogoplata win overturned as the result of a failed drug test for marijuana. Not that a little weed could ever soil the memory of what turned out to be one of the most thrilling fights in PRIDE history.
“That little guy, I don’t know what the fuck, he was doing some karate in there…he’s fuckin’ do some little Hadouken fuckin’ punch in there to me.” — Nick Diaz, whimsically breaking down his all out war with Takanori Gomi at Pride 33: Second Coming on February 24, 2007 — seven years ago today.
Heading into their clash at Pride 33, Takanori Gomi was considered the undisputed king of the promotion’s lightweight division, and possibly, the entire lightweight landscape, having collected 13 wins beside just 1 loss with 7 brutal knockouts in his Pride run. Diaz, on the other hand, was riding a two-fight win streak in the UFC and had just made the genius decision to cut his second stint short by signing with Gracie Fighting Championships, a promotion that went under almost as soon as it sprang up. Itching for a fight, Diaz then signed a two-fight deal with Pride and agreed to face Gomi in a 160 lb. catchweight bout in his debut.
What ensued was a ten minute battle for the ages, with both competitors trading knockdowns and near submissions over the course of two rounds. While Diaz’s pitter-patter punches and superior cardio (and not to mention, unbreakable chin) would eventually wear Gomi down, it would be the Stocktonian’s signature submission game that would secure him the victory — via a gogoplata of all things — early in the second.
Of course, it would be Diaz’s even more notorious love of marijuana that would see the fight overturned to a No Contest once the drug tests results came back. Diaz tested positive for a marijuana metabolite level of 175, shattering the then acceptable limit of 50. He was what Joe Rogan would refer to as “high as giraffe pussy,” to put it simply. Said Nevada State Athletic Commission Chairman Dr. Tony Alamo, “This creates a unique situation. I was there at this fight and believe that you were intoxicated and… that it made you numb to the pain. Did it help you win? I think it did.”
Diaz would never receive his second Pride fight, and would spend the next four years fighting under the EliteXC, DREAM, and Strikeforce banners before making his triumphant return to the UFC, testing positive for marijuana again, retiring, unretiring, losing a title bid against GSP, and retiring again.
Diaz would find retribution against Gomi, however, in the form of his younger brother Nate, who would face and defeat “The Fireball Kid” via first round armbar at UFC 135. While there’s probably a lesson to be learned from Diaz vs. Gomi, we imagine that Nick is still way too high to figure out what it is.
“On This Day in MMA History” pays tribute to some of the more bizarre and infamous moments from MMA’s past. Four years ago today, on February 6th, 2010, UFC 109: Relentless took place, featuring Mark Coleman’s final appearance in the UFC, Matt Serra’s final victory in the UFC…and an Octagon ice spill that will forever live in infamy. The following post was published on CagePotato three days later.
It’s no one’s fault, really, except maybe the person who decided to use a cheap grocery store produce bag in Torres’s corner. The thing comes apart at the most inopportune time, and the result is a group of grown men trying frantically to clean up a large pile of ice while Rogan yells at them and a packed arena boos their efforts.
The difficulty these men (or, as Rogan refers to them, “the goddamn Three Stooges”) have in this task just goes to show how much more difficult everything becomes in a high-pressure situation. Try unlocking your front door while someone yells at you about what an incapable moron you are, or clean up broken eggs on the kitchen floor as your emotionally unstable girlfriend stands nearby and refers to the situation as “a disaster.” Then maybe you’ll understand.
“On This Day in MMA History” pays tribute to some of the more bizarre and infamous moments from MMA’s past. Four years ago today, on February 6th, 2010, UFC 109: Relentless took place, featuring Mark Coleman’s final appearance in the UFC, Matt Serra’s final victory in the UFC…and an Octagon ice spill that will forever live in infamy. The following post was published on CagePotato three days later.
It’s no one’s fault, really, except maybe the person who decided to use a cheap grocery store produce bag in Torres’s corner. The thing comes apart at the most inopportune time, and the result is a group of grown men trying frantically to clean up a large pile of ice while Rogan yells at them and a packed arena boos their efforts.
The difficulty these men (or, as Rogan refers to them, “the goddamn Three Stooges”) have in this task just goes to show how much more difficult everything becomes in a high-pressure situation. Try unlocking your front door while someone yells at you about what an incapable moron you are, or clean up broken eggs on the kitchen floor as your emotionally unstable girlfriend stands nearby and refers to the situation as “a disaster.” Then maybe you’ll understand.
(An enormous head, filled with 12 pounds of cookie dough. Photo courtesy of Sherdog.)
We just wanted to share these quotes from Tito’s absolutely stunning broadcast debut at “Day of Reckoning,” collected from thesethreads on the UG:
Sobral/Sokoudjou
“Here we are with Seraldo Babalu, you did an awesome job, saw why you’re a black belt in jiu-jitsu, getting an awesome submission there, I want to tell me what you see, let’s go ahead and see by the fight, what you saw, in the ring.”
“You showed the dominance by getting the takedown and looking for a choke in that position. We know the weakness that you had, but you actually showed the heart and determination of a champion of how tough of a light heavyweight you really are, here in the Affliction card. What do you think of the future of you, um, future opponents?”
“Yes, and uh, my back will be better in about three months, so I know all the fans would love to see me and you get it on. You know what, you’re an awesome fighter, congratulations tonight. Everybody lets give a hand to Renato Babalu, one of the greatest light heavyweights, of the night.”
(An enormous head, filled with 12 pounds of cookie dough. Photo courtesy of Sherdog.)
We just wanted to share these quotes from Tito’s absolutely stunning broadcast debut at “Day of Reckoning,” collected from thesethreads on the UG:
Sobral/Sokoudjou
“Here we are with Seraldo Babalu, you did an awesome job, saw why you’re a black belt in jiu-jitsu, getting an awesome submission there, I want to tell me what you see, let’s go ahead and see by the fight, what you saw, in the ring.”
“You showed the dominance by getting the takedown and looking for a choke in that position. We know the weakness that you had, but you actually showed the heart and determination of a champion of how tough of a light heavyweight you really are, here in the Affliction card. What do you think of the future of you, um, future opponents?”
“Yes, and uh, my back will be better in about three months, so I know all the fans would love to see me and you get it on. You know what, you’re an awesome fighter, congratulations tonight. Everybody lets give a hand to Renato Babalu, one of the greatest light heavyweights, of the night.”
Belfort/Lindland
“Matt the Lindland Law…The Law Lindland.”
“Well, Belfort, we saw you with an astonishing left hand, that’s the left hand that I used to see you knock people out time and time again, we’re gonna go ahead and go over it. Walk me through it, show me exactly what you seen with this.”
“Well, like I said, you show your hand-speed time and time again Vitor, 185 pounds, lady and gentlemen, let’s give Vitor Belfort a round of applause, an awesome 105 pounder, you just beat the number two guy in the world, buddy, you’re on top of the world tonight!”
“Wow! That’s all I got to say. Vitor at 185 pounds. I don’t know. I see him beating the, uh, what was it, Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart because you have two great boxers, and, man, that was amazing. That was the old Vitor Belfort that we all want to see. Him at 131 years old. He’s back for vengeance.”
Barnett/Yvel
“Well, here we go, we, here we go we got Josh Barnett, with a dominating fashion. Buddy, he said he wanted to stand up with you. You said you wanted to stand up with him. All the gameplans get thrown out and you shown the dominant heavyweight that you are. He wasn’t getting away from you. Walk me through the fight.”
“Well, alright, we’re gonna go ahead show some some action from around one right here. I want you to walk me through and how do you feel as you went through this stuff?”
“Well you should have your head high tonight, you did an awesome job, entertained every one of these fans. You did a great job, I’m proud of you buddy. Keep it up, let’s see the winner tonight, you’ll be next in line.”
“Well, you showed what type of champion you really are. Everybody lets give a hand to Josh Barnett, the baby-faced assassin, continuing his win career. Good job Josh! We’ll go back to you Sean.”
Fedor/Arlovski
“July 4th has come early.”
“I’m gonna have my interpreter here for Fedor Emelianenko. Everybody had questions on what type of heavyweight you were. You’ve showed it once on Tim Sylvia in 38 seconds. You’ve done it again against Andrei Arlovski in 3 minutes and 34 seconds. Let me tell you how you feelin right now.”
“Well there’s always been question from other promotions saying that you weren’t the best heavyweight in the world. Well, tonight, buddy, you’ve answered those questions. You tooken out two of the former UFC heavyweight champions and you are the best heavyweight… in my eyes and I believe every one of these guys’ eyes around the world… of tonight…”
“Well, we got to see, actually, Josh Barnett in the last fight, win in a decision. It looks like you two are going to be heading off and another chance for you to defend your heavyweight title. What do you think as Josh as your next opponent?”
“Well the millions that are watching at home and the fifteen thousand and more in audience tonight, ladies and gentlemen, the pound for pound best heavyweight in the world today, Fedor Emelianenko, the last emperor, congratulations buddy.”
