On Saturday night at KSW 28, Angolan lightweight Helson Henriquez nearly pulled off what MiddleEasy described as a “Showtime Shogun Punch.” You know, it’s that thing where you grab the fence and launch yourself into the air to land a diving punch into your opponent’s guard? And he would have gotten away with it too, if not for that meddling Anzor Azhiev (aka, the Polish dude on the mat), who landed a perfectly timed upkick to Henriquez’s shoulder, sending him into a tailspin. Henriquez went on to lose the fight by unanimous decision. Nevertheless, this remains the greatest “Yeah, But If That Thing Landed!” moment of 2014.
On Saturday night at KSW 28, Angolan lightweight Helson Henriquez nearly pulled off what MiddleEasy described as a “Showtime Shogun Punch.” You know, it’s that thing where you grab the fence and launch yourself into the air to land a diving punch into your opponent’s guard? And he would have gotten away with it too, if not for that meddling Anzor Azhiev (aka, the Polish dude on the mat), who landed a perfectly timed upkick to Henriquez’s shoulder, sending him into a tailspin. Henriquez went on to lose the fight by unanimous decision. Nevertheless, this remains the greatest “Yeah, But If That Thing Landed!” moment of 2014.
Episode 5 of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America ended with one of the nastiest knockouts in TUF history, as Team Werdum bantamweight Marlon “Chito” Vera knocked Team Velasquez’s Enrique “Henry Bure” Briones clean out with an upkick from his guard. The timing of the shot was outstanding, as Briones was just getting to his feet; had the kick landed a quarter-second earlier, it would have been illegal. The victory was the first for the multi-national Team Werdum, who lost the season’s first four matches to Velasquez’s all-Mexican squad.
Episode 5 of The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America ended with one of the nastiest knockouts in TUF history, as Team Werdum bantamweight Marlon “Chito” Vera knocked Team Velasquez’s Enrique “Henry Bure” Briones clean out with an upkick from his guard. The timing of the shot was outstanding, as Briones was just getting to his feet; had the kick landed a quarter-second earlier, it would have been illegal. The victory was the first for the multi-national Team Werdum, who lost the season’s first four matches to Velasquez’s all-Mexican squad.
Before UFC 134 marked the promotion’s highly anticipated return to Brazil, Royce Gracie trolled the MMA community pretty hard by claiming that he not only wanted to fight on the card, but also that he had been negotiating with the UFC in order to make this happen. Needless to say, Royce wasn’t successful.
With the UFC 153 fight card beginning to fill out for the promotion’s return to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, it now appears that one time UFC competitor Renzo Gracie wants in on the action. But, you know, only if it’s cool with everyone. As MMAWeekly is reporting:
“That’s a possibility. In my life I learned one thing, impossible is nothing,” Gracie stated about possibly competing at UFC 153.
“I love the crowd there. I love the intensity that surrounds the whole arena when you’re in Brazil fighting and Brazil is cheering. It’s a different ball game.”
Before UFC 134 marked the promotion’s highly anticipated return to Brazil, Royce Gracie trolled the MMA community pretty hard by claiming that he not only wanted to fight on the card, but also that he had been negotiating with the UFC in order to make this happen. Needless to say, Royce wasn’t successful.
With the UFC 153 fight card beginning to fill out for the promotion’s return to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, it now appears that one time UFC competitor Renzo Gracie wants in on the action. But, you know, only if it’s cool with everyone. As MMAWeekly is reporting:
“That’s a possibility. In my life I learned one thing, impossible is nothing,” Gracie stated about possibly competing at UFC 153.
“I love the crowd there. I love the intensity that surrounds the whole arena when you’re in Brazil fighting and Brazil is cheering. It’s a different ball game.”
Gracie has spent much of his life competing and teaching, but if there was one regret he has it’s that he never got to fight much in his home country of Brazil.
If that opportunity presented itself, Gracie would have an awfully hard time turning it down, and if it doesn’t happen at UFC 153 then keep your eyes on any future UFC card heading to Brazil.
So why is a man who hasn’t competed since losing to Matt Hughes two years ago at UFC 112 looking for a spot on the card? According to Renzo, it’s because he’s been getting back in shape while helping Rolles, Igor and Gregor Gracie prepare for their upcoming bouts at ONE FC 5 in Manila. As he told MMAWeekly Radio:
“To push them I’ve got to get myself in shape too. Today we did like eight rounds and then we did three more rounds of grappling. So even if I don’t want to, I get in shape, and if I get in shape, I want to fight. So I’m really looking forward to being back in there real soon.”
I have no problem with letting the aging veteran have one last fight in the UFC before he officially calls it quits. Scratch that – yes I do. Much like everyone wondered when Royce was campaigning for a return to the Octagon, who is the UFC going to find for Renzo to fight? Who? I will give Renzo credit where it’s due though: At least he’s not going full retard on us like Tim Sylvia did. What, where did you think I was going with that one?
Let’s all admit that Renzo back to the UFC would be a terrible idea and never speak of this again. But rather than end on a sour note, I’ll leave you with this. Enjoy.
