TUF 20 Video Highlights: Felice Herrig vs. Randa Markos Ends in First-Round Submission

(Video via TheUltimateFighterFX)

TUF 20 got its first semi-finalist on last night’s episode, when #14-ranked Randa Markos tapped out #6 seed Felice Herrig in the first round with a brilliant modified armbar. Now carrying wins over Herrig and Tecia Torres, Markos has become the season’s Cinderella story — but keep in mind that her next fight will be a true buzzsaw against the winner of Rose Namajunas vs. Joanne Calderwood.

Also on the episode, Anthony Pettis and Gilbert Melendez squared off in the Coaches’ Challenge, which was a non-physical competition for the first time ever, on account of Pettis’s gimpy knee. So if you feel like watching a semi-awkward UFC trivia competition hosted by Bruce Buffer, that’s after the jump.


(Video via TheUltimateFighterFX)

TUF 20 got its first semi-finalist on last night’s episode, when #14-ranked Randa Markos tapped out #6 seed Felice Herrig in the first round with a brilliant modified armbar. Now carrying wins over Herrig and Tecia Torres, Markos has become the season’s Cinderella story — but keep in mind that her next fight will be a true buzzsaw against the winner of Rose Namajunas vs. Joanne Calderwood.

Also on the episode, Anthony Pettis and Gilbert Melendez squared off in the Coaches’ Challenge, which was a non-physical competition for the first time ever, on account of Pettis’s gimpy knee. So if you feel like watching a semi-awkward UFC trivia competition hosted by Bruce Buffer, that’s after the jump.

Kill a Half Hour Watching Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler’s First Fight at UFC 171

(Props: UFC on YouTube)

In advance of their welterweight title fight rematch at UFC 181 (December 6th, Las Vegas), the UFC has released the full video of Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler 1 — the Fight of the Year candidate that took place at UFC 171 in March. Hendricks won the bout by unanimous decision (48-47 across the board) following a wild brawl that we stopped trying to score after the second round. In particular, the third round, which starts at the video’s 15:18 mark, is an incredible testament to both fighters’ ability to give and receive damage. It’s a true classic, and not a bad way to spend a half hour if you’re bored at the office today.


(Props: UFC on YouTube)

In advance of their welterweight title fight rematch at UFC 181 (December 6th, Las Vegas), the UFC has released the full video of Johny Hendricks vs. Robbie Lawler 1 — the Fight of the Year candidate that took place at UFC 171 in March. Hendricks won the bout by unanimous decision (48-47 across the board) following a wild brawl that we stopped trying to score after the second round. In particular, the third round, which starts at the video’s 15:18 mark, is an incredible testament to both fighters’ ability to give and receive damage. It’s a true classic, and not a bad way to spend a half hour if you’re bored at the office today.

Video Highlights: Carla Esparza Chokes Out Angela Hill on TUF 20

(Props: TheUltimateFighter on YouTube)

Last night’s episode of The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned featured #1-seeded former Invicta champ Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza taking on #16-ranked Angela “Overkill” Hill. And while Hill and her coaches were confident that the fight would be a lot more competitive than the rankings suggested, Esparza’s elite wrestling skills overwhelmed the Muay Thai champ. Once Esparza secured a takedown, she aggressively went for Hill’s neck, eventually sinking a rear-naked choke late in the first round. With Esparza’s win, Team Pettis is now up 4-0 on Team Melendez.

As for Angela Hill, she may have been eliminated in the first round, but she’s left a lasting impression on her teammates…

Respect the gas.


(Props: TheUltimateFighter on YouTube)

Last night’s episode of The Ultimate Fighter: A Champion Will Be Crowned featured #1-seeded former Invicta champ Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza taking on #16-ranked Angela “Overkill” Hill. And while Hill and her coaches were confident that the fight would be a lot more competitive than the rankings suggested, Esparza’s elite wrestling skills overwhelmed the Muay Thai champ. Once Esparza secured a takedown, she aggressively went for Hill’s neck, eventually sinking a rear-naked choke late in the first round. With Esparza’s win, Team Pettis is now up 4-0 on Team Melendez.

As for Angela Hill, she may have been eliminated in the first round, but she’s left a lasting impression on her teammates…

Respect the gas.

VIDEO: Andrei Arlovski Knocks Out Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva at UFC Fight Night 51

(Props: nflprofit)

Here’s the absolutely savage finish of tonight’s UFC Fight Night 51 main event, in which Andrei Arlovski floored Antonio Silva with a right hand, dropped some of the nastiest hammerfists in MMA history on Bigfoot’s poor noggin, then did a little shimmy-shake to celebrate.

The performance was a hell of a step up from Arlovski’s snoozer against Brendan Schaub at UFC 174 in June. Do we need to start taking the Pitbull seriously as a UFC heavyweight contender again? And who would you like to see him fight next?


(Props: nflprofit)

Here’s the absolutely savage finish of tonight’s UFC Fight Night 51 main event, in which Andrei Arlovski floored Antonio Silva with a right hand, dropped some of the nastiest hammerfists in MMA history on Bigfoot’s poor noggin, then did a little shimmy-shake to celebrate.

The performance was a hell of a step up from Arlovski’s snoozer against Brendan Schaub at UFC 174 in June. Do we need to start taking the Pitbull seriously as a UFC heavyweight contender again? And who would you like to see him fight next?

Before You Leave the Office Today, Watch Matt Brown Knock Out Mike Pyle in 29 Seconds [VIDEO]

(Props: UFC on YouTube)

Related: Matt Brown and Erick Silva brawl til’ they fall, and Robbie Lawler kicks Bobby Voelker’s damn head off

The fights are tomorrow, dudes. Come back to CagePotato.com at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT for our liveblog of the UFC on FOX 12 main card. Have a great weekend!


(Props: UFC on YouTube)

Related: Matt Brown and Erick Silva brawl til’ they fall, and Robbie Lawler kicks Bobby Voelker’s damn head off

The fights are tomorrow, dudes. Come back to CagePotato.com at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT for our liveblog of the UFC on FOX 12 main card. Have a great weekend!

Classic Fight Videos: Donald Cerrone’s Comeback KO of Melvin Guillard, Hunt and Bigfoot’s ‘Draw of the Century’ + More

(Props: YouTube.com/UFC)

With some of the promotion’s most crowd-pleasing stars returning to action in the near future, the UFC has released a bunch of classic fights to hype up their appearances.

First up: Donald Cerrone‘s comeback knockout of Melvin Guillard at UFC 150 in August 2012, in which Cowboy gets battered around the cage for a minute before stunning Guillard with a head-kick and finishing the job with a right cross. The 76-second performance earned Cerrone an extra $120,000 in Fight of the Night/Knockout of the Night bonuses. He returns to the cage this Wednesday against Jim Miller at UFC Fight Night 45 in Atlantic City. Set your DVRs, folks.

Next we have the insane five-round battle between Mark Hunt and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva from their December meeting in Brisbane, Australia — arguably the greatest heavyweight UFC fight of all time, despite the unfortunate testosterone suspension that came afterwards. If you’ve got a half-hour free this morning, give it a look. Bigfoot returns from his suspension on September 13th against Andrei Arlovski at UFC Fight Night 51 in Brazil, and Mark Hunt faces Roy Nelson a week later at UFC Fight Night 52 in Japan.

A couple more gems await you after the jump…


(Props: YouTube.com/UFC)

With some of the promotion’s most crowd-pleasing stars returning to action in the near future, the UFC has released a bunch of classic fights to hype up their appearances.

First up: Donald Cerrone‘s comeback knockout of Melvin Guillard at UFC 150 in August 2012, in which Cowboy gets battered around the cage for a minute before stunning Guillard with a head-kick and finishing the job with a right cross. The 76-second performance earned Cerrone an extra $120,000 in Fight of the Night/Knockout of the Night bonuses. He returns to the cage this Wednesday against Jim Miller at UFC Fight Night 45 in Atlantic City. Set your DVRs, folks.

Next we have the insane five-round battle between Mark Hunt and Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva from their December meeting in Brisbane, Australia — arguably the greatest heavyweight UFC fight of all time, despite the unfortunate testosterone suspension that came afterwards. If you’ve got a half-hour free this morning, give it a look. Bigfoot returns from his suspension on September 13th against Andrei Arlovski at UFC Fight Night 51 in Brazil, and Mark Hunt faces Roy Nelson a week later at UFC Fight Night 52 in Japan.

A couple more gems await you after the jump…

In honor of Conor McGregor‘s long-awaited return to the Octagon this Saturday in Dublin against Diego Brandao, here’s his UFC debut last April, in which he smoked Marcus Brimage in just over a minute.

And finally, Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson‘s Fight of the Night war against Lacey Schuckman at Invicta FC 3 in October 2012, which the UFC has posted to hype up its new partnership with the all-female MMA league. Now Invicta FC’s atomweight champion, Waterson returns at Invicta FC 8 on September 6th, where she’ll take on Yasuko Tamada.

There. That’ll keep you busy for a while.