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UFC 91 - Couture 'Brocked' by Lesnar As I watched the heavyweight tilt last night, everything seemed to be in place. Randy Couture was dictating the fight against a much bigger, stronger, faster, younger opponent. Pushing the WWE star around like he was Vitor Belfort and opening a cut near Lesnar's right eye, Randy seemed to be up to his same old tricks of dominating as an underdog. Although The Natural wasn't in the same polished form as he was when he dominated Gabe Gonzaga, Randy was winning the fight and was headed toward another victory.
What happened next has the world of MMA sitting in shock still at 5pm the day after...Couture seemed to get in a hurry (much like his second fight with Chuck Liddell) and Lesnar closed his eyes, connected with a punch that landed right behind Randy's ear; game over. The unthinkable happened...how could the albino Bob Sapp beat the sports most accomplished fighter? Welcome to MMA.
The loss is something Randy will come back from...he may stay in the HW division, win a couple more fights, and get one more shot at the strap. I believe he'll move back down to 205 and fight the loser of Quinton Jackson/Wand Silva. Another thought that crossed my mind...Dana will try to put Anderson Silva over by having him come up to 205 again to fight Captain America. Either way...this isn't the last time we'll see Couture battle in the Octagon.
Now for the fallout.
How does Dana White justify having a heavyweight title holder with only 3 fights (4 now) under his jock and freshly off the WWE-Circus tour? Wasn't Dana just bashing Elite XC for promoting the equivalent of the junk yard dog in Kimbo Slice? What will be the answer for all the sports naysayers who look at Lesnar as a freak show in the latest extreme sport flavor of the month? Will the opponents of MMA use this as leverage in arguments related to the sports legitimacy? Finally, what does this do to a future Randy/Fedor match?
I'll give Lesnar the respect he deserves associated with training hard and preparing for the fight. I think Couture wasn't completely focused on this fight...having the distraction of his wife's issues with some idiot from Affliction and relative restraining order only days before the bout. Although he looked comfortable in the Octagon, Randy didn't have the same look in his eyes as he did during his walkout for Tito or Chuck 1.
Nonetheless, it was a pretty good card and night of fights. Gonzaga looked good with an overmatched Hendricks and KenFlo is the best 155er outside of BJ Penn (Tak Gomi included) in the world. Hazelett put up a damn good show against the Barn Cat...earning the Sub of the Night award. For the rest of the event's results(Courtesy MMAWeekly.com).
UFC 91 Proves Its Business First, Sport Second Dana White...this guy is amazing. Every single person, except possibly Rorion Gracie, who is a fan of mixed martial arts and our beloved UFC owes Dana White props for making our sport what it is today. Obviously, the sport would be nowhere without its fighters. However, the differences between fighters and Dana White are the fighters will enjoy the legacy while Dana will enjoy the financial benefits. Rightfully so. The fighters provided the catalyst for executing the shows, but it was Dana who struck the deals and positioned the sport. Liken this illustration to NASCAR and the France family...it was Bill France Sr. and Jr. who built the sport through promotion, marketing, development, television, sponsorship, and government (yes, politics and government are entrenched in auto racing namely NASCAR), yet it is its drivers who the fans seek and remember. Want me to prove it? How many '3's have you seen plastered on the bumpers and back windows of trucks and cars? You see very few NASCAR logos and no stickers of the France familys' company ISC.
Actually, it is very odd how close the business models are...comparing UFC and NASCAR. Race teams have sponsor decals on its cars, fighters and their teams have sponsor decals on their shorts, shirts, hats, and jackets. NASCAR places limits and must approve all sponsors placed on the cars...sound familiar in the UFC? Just ask Affliction or Cage Fighter. NASCAR holds races all over the country while their 'home' track and hall of fame is located in Charlotte...UFC holds fights all over the country while their 'home' venue is in Las Vegas. NASCAR has partnered closely with the U.S. Military...UFC is getting ready to have a Fight for the Soldiers event in North Carolina on a Marine base.
The reason why I shared all of this with my fellow fans is this...MMA is where it is at today because of Dana White's push to make the public accept MMA as a sport and not a spectacle. However, at the end of the day we're preparing to witness 'The Biggest Fight in History' between the rightful champ and widely-recognized face of the sport Randy Couture and Brock Lesnar, the UFC's answer to Kimbo Slice. Yes I know what you are thinking, Brock Lesnar is the 2000 NCAA HW wrestling champion...BFD. There's been seven amateur wrestling champs since Brock with one of them playing professional football in the NFL. Brock is a big monster and damn good athlete, let's not be mistaken...but this guy does not deserve a title shot in only his 3rd mixed martial arts fight.
This proves that business and profit pay the bills, the sport is for debates and politicians. What it comes down to is we all like to be entertained and we all enjoy 'Coliseum' matches pitting different characters, styles and weapons against one other. I've all ready purchased the event and am recording it too...so if loving our 'sport' is wrong, I don't want to be right.
UFC 90 - Results and HG's Take Wonder why Anderson Silva looked like he was playing around or disinterested in the Cote fight? Here's your answer.
Frankly, there are times when fighters reach a pinnacle when megafights are only appropriate. Anderson Silva is now at that stage of his career. Seeing once-in-a-lifetime fighters take on the Number #1 contender is not enough anymore...because the true contenders were bested in the first or second title defense. Here's a few more fighters that make the list of those who got 'bored' waiting on the next warm body...Randy Couture, Fedor, Matt Hughes, Chuck Liddell, and BJ Penn.
When a fighter reaches this legend status, its not enough just to take on the 'next' guy in line...the elite don't find a challenge in that process anymore. Give these alpha's fights they deserve with huge paydays...fights the fans want to see, fights the fighters want to see...not the promoters.
Sakuraba, Wand, Ken Shamrock, Mario Sperry, Bas Rutten, Marco Ruas, Don Frye, Mark Coleman...these guys should have been elevated past the 'championship' process and matched with other legends of the cage. The fan doesn't care about promoters and their contenders, they care about marquee matchups that generate the question...can Anderson Silva knockout Chuck Liddell or does BJ Penn have what it takes to sub Frank Shamrock at 185?
Don't let Anderson Silva waste away into retirement waiting on some guy named Thales or Bisping. Give him matchups that challenge him, that motivate him to sharpen his saw.
Enough of the crap, here's the results from UFC 90.
Main Card Bouts:
-Anderson Silva def. Patrick Cote by TKO (knee injury) at 0:39, RD3
UFC 89 - Vera Little Can Be Predicted in MMA The fights Saturday night came and went...big names like Keith Jardine, Sokoudjou, Brandon Vera, Michael Bisping, and Chris Leben were featured. Many of us couldn't wait for the stand up war surely to come between The Cat Smasher and The Count. Jardine and Vera was believed to be a good match up...not to mention everyone was expecting Sokoudjou to roll over Cane. We were wrong...which is what's great about this sport.
The true fights of the night were Chris Lytle vs. Paul Taylor and Marcus Davis vs. Paul Kelly. The slugfest we all expected out of Leben and Bisping took place between Lytle and Taylor. Lytle hit Daly with everything but the kitchen sink while Daly kept coming, plastering Chris with his own shots. Chris' heart proved game in his win because he ran out of gas in Round 2.
Speaking of gassing, Sokoudjou needs patience (and Light Force). I believe 90 days with Couture and Sokoudjou would be unstoppable. He tries to put everything he has into every shot...but pays for it around the first minute of Round 2. Luis Cane is a bad mo...for sure. Luis weathered some serious shots and just kept coming. LC has no quit and is in it for the long haul...any fighter drawing this Brazilian should tread carefully.
Onto the disappointments...Brandon Vera has a mental block. We haven't seen the same Brandon Vera that decimated Frank Mir or Justin Eilers. Its like he's holding something back or something in his life has altered his instincts. The win for Jardine was Jardine-like...plodding, hard-nosed, and calculated. Keith is a helluva fighter and I take nothing away from him...he's probably one of the most game fighters in the sport today. Its just that this fight did not live up to its billing...just another decision.
The fight between Bisping and Leben generated the same feeling we all experienced during final hour in high school, knowing the two school bullies were going to fight for supremacy in the parking lot...kind of like Ortiz vs. Liddell I. What transpired was a slightly more entertaining fight than the Marquardt vs. Salaverry bout...a technical matchup with one fighter having slightly better footwork and conventional boxing. At no time did these guys ever stand in the middle of the cage and trade blows like Lytle and Paul Taylor...although this is what we expected. The decision went to Bisping just as it should have...because Chris didn't do enough damage to win. However, the fight did not deliver the type of action Joe Silva, Dana White, or the rest of us expected.
Which brings me to my final point...MMA cannot be planned. The best fights of the night took place in the beginning of the card...the boring fights were saved for co-main events. I love this about MMA, though. Its all about the underdog and the guys with everything to prove. Its very rare that the main event delivers the fight of the night (save for Liddell/Silva or Hughes/Penn II).
Nonetheless, it was a free event and in today's economy...free is the right price. Short of sounding like a little girl searching for my balls in my wife's jewelry box...UFC 89 was a good watch and a pretty good night of fights. Click here for MMAWeekly.com coverage.
Michael Bisping Gets Ready For The Second Time For the second time in as many months, Michael Bisping has been working and training for a match-up against Chris Leben. The first time around, Leben had to pull out of the bout to serve time for a past legal offense, but now the fight is on and the British fighter has had plenty of time to think about this one.
“Take your time and just keep chipping away. If you don’t knock him down with your first first few shots, just keep chipping away and the knockout will come.”
