Other Events
WSOF 7 LIVE RESULTS: Hansen's round by round report for "Karakhanyan vs. Palmer" event on NBCSN
Dec 7, 2013 - 9:30:00 PM WSOF 7 LIVE RESULTS: Hansen's round by round report for "Karakhanyan vs. Palmer" event on NBCSN

DISCUSS ALL THIS IN OUR NEW MMATORCH FORUM

...OH, ONE MORE THING - PLEASE BOOKMARK US & VISIT DAILY!

By: Rich Hansen, MMATorch Columnist


WORLD SERIES OF FIGHTING 7: KARAKHANYAN VS. PALMER
DECEMBER 7, 2013
LIVE FROM VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA

- Pretty much straight to the first fight as soon as Todd Harris announces the card. No mention of Bas Rutten, so we're off to a good start.

FIGHT ONE: "YES THAT" KALIB STARNES VS. DWAYNE LEWIS (LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

ROUND ONE: I missed the name of the referee, as my wife was standing in front of the TV. Love you baby! One minute in and nothing significant from either fighter. Leg kick here, jab there. While mentioning Starnes' resume, he mentioned a fight with Patrick Cote, pronounced COAT. Professionalism; thy name be Todd Harris. Bas talks about the mutual respect each fighter has for one another, which is asinine because Nathan Quarry. Lewis is starting to feel the leg kick here and there offense as he's a little wobbly. Starnes with a nice hook to the body has Lewis bent over, reeling on the cage. Starnes is being patient and waiting for his moment. Lewis is recovering and working the body with kicks, and missing with right uppercuts. Starnes backs Lewis into the cage with a series of jabs. Lewis lands a right hook to the body and misses with another uppercut. Another right hook to the body, and for variety's sake, a missed overhand right from Lewis. This is rank amateur stuff here. 10-9 Quarry

ROUND TWO: I must not be paying attention, because Bas isn't on my nerves yet. Starnes is landing every kick he throws, both left and right kicks, high and low. nice left kick to the ribs forces Lewis into the cage, and a standing left elbow to the temple knocks Lewis unconscious. He went down like a ton of feathers. Starnes taunted an unconscious Lewis after the ref intervened. He must have thought it was Nate Quarry down there. Yes, the horse is dead. Yes, I'm beating the hell out of it.

WINNER: Kalib Starnes by KO at 1:02 of round two.

STAR RATING AND FINAL THOUGHTS: (**+) The fight was not good, but I, like you, am a sucker for fantastic KOs. Which this was. Bravo, Mister Starnes!


FIGHT TWO: NICK NEWELL VS. SABAH FADAI (LIGHTWEIGHT)

- Jerin Valel is the referee for this fight.

ROUND ONE: Fabai makes his home in BC, so he should have the crowd behind him. That said, who can boo Nick Newell? Even if he were the biggest douche in the universe (he's not), WATCH HIM FIGHT! Newell grabs a single and gets Fadai down against the fence. As Fadai gets back up Newell grabs a standing guillotine and it's over. Just like that. Nick Newell is my hero.

WINNER: Nick Newell by submission (standing guillotine) at 1:21 of round one.

STAR RATING AND FINAL THOUGHTS: (N/A) Look. A man with one forearm and one hand is fighting professionally and choking people out left and right. If you can't get behind that, please don't read what I write. Ever.

- Boost Mobile just gave Justin Gaethje an oversized check int he value of $5,500. Maybe now he can buy a new shirt.


FIGHT THREE: JESSE TAYLOR VS. ELVIS MUTAPCIC (MIDDLEWEIGHT)

- The winner of this fight faces Dave Branch to become the inaugural WSOF Middleweight Champion. Assuming of course that Nick Lembo doesn't get involved here.

- A graphic ran on the screen detailing Bas Rutten's keys to victory for Elvis Mutapcic:

1.) Can win standing or on the ground (which are the only places a fight can happem. Thanks, Bas)

2.) Knockout or submission. Because the BC commission has instituted a rule where guys named Elvis can't win by decision? Thanks, Bas

- To the horror of Ohio State fans, John Cooper is the referee

ROUND ONE: Taylor shoots a double from the outside and gets it. Straight to mount, up against the cage, parallel to it. Mutapcic scrambles and gives up his back. As an aside, the cage is miked WAY too well, because every time the fighters slide on the canvas you can hear the squeaking. It's very flatulent sounding. Taylor is back to mount, but Mutapcic is on his side. Mutapcis rolls and gives up his neck. Mutapcic is defending well, and Taylor's in a heavy half-guard now. The fence is preventing Taylor from getting the necessary angle for a successful submission. Full guard now. Dave Branch even is getting bored with this now. Taylor's throwing enough elbows to keep the referee quiet at least, so there's that. I'll say... Mutapcic is wearing the crimson mask. Taylor gets half-guard as Mutapcic fails to get to his feet. Taylor grabs his neck and rolls with a guillotine. Mutapcic pops free and is on top, in Taylor's half-guard. Taylor gives up his back, and Mutapcic is looking for a rear naked choke from the bottom. Taylor rolls into it and is now out of trouble, belly to belly in full guard. 10-9 Taylor

ROUND TWO: Taylor shoots from a mile away and almost got caught in a guillotine. Somehow he winds up on top up against the cage. He's continuing to throw the dirty elbows. Not dirty like illegal, but dirty like short. So I should've just said short, right? Taylor drags Mutapcic away from the cage and has a mounted guillotine. He loses it and winds up in side-control. Jesse Taylor is fighting kind of like the world's poorest man's version of Ben Askren. Even that is still somewhat of a compliment, seeing as how Askren is God and all. Mutapcic grabs underhooks from the bottom which stagnates Taylor's attack. Cooper offers a warning, and eventually stands them. Nice tactic from Mutapcic to cling on to those underhooks like they were his life. Upon standing, Mutapcic drops Taylor with a right hand. Mutapcic is looking for a D'Arce, but it's not there. Mutapcic is on tip, in half-guard looking for side control. Instead he passed to full mount. While working on a choke form mount he got light and Taylor swept him. Taylor's on top. Those are some incredible hips on Taylor. That was pure strength. and plenty of technique, but if you don't have a great set of hips, all the technique in the world won't matter. Taylor spends the last 45 seconds throwing elbow from the guard. 20-18 Taylor

ROUND THREE: Taylor shoots behind a head kick, but Mutapcic spins out of it. Taylor shoots again and gets the takedown. Half-guard, up against the cage. Is it really so hard to throw a step knee when you know Taylor's going to shoot every eight seconds? Anyhoooo, Taylor's offense is being stymied by the cage. He needs to get some space, but while trying to move off the cage he gets stuck in full guard. Every time he throws a right hand, the cage gets in his way. Mutapcic explodes as Taylor tries to pass to mount and gets to his feet, with Taylor holdign a front face lock. three seconds left, Taylor's on top again, in the same spot. Mutapcic dives for a heel hook, but it's not there. Taylor takes his back, but loses it and we're back to half-guard, maybe four feet from the cage. Short knee to the ribs from Taylor. Mutapcic's right eye is totally busted open again. Full guard, one minute left. The last minute was dreadful. 30-27 Taylor

WINNER: Jesse Taylor by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

STAR RATING AND FINAL THOUGHTS: (*) I like to be a contrarian and all that, but this was dreadful. I tried, I mean I really tried to find nice things to think about this fight. But there isn't one good thing to say about this fight. Dave Branch vs. Jesse Taylor might literally wind up being the most dull fight of all time.

- NBCSN has constantly been running commercials for this show. During this show. Promoting fights that happened already. On this show. Time buys are fun, yay!


FIGHT FOUR: GEORGI KARAKHANYAN VS. LANCE PALMER (WSOF FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP)

- Seriously, of all the televised fights I've watched, I've never seen a quieter crowd. This crowd is dead.

ROUND ONE: Karakhanyan lands a couple of hard high kicks on the much shorter Palmer. Front kick to the face from Karakhanyan. Palmer's ribs are going to get lit up, as he's a southpaw going up against the right handed Karakhanyan. Palmer eats a lightning fast reverse spin kick. fortunately it didn't land flush. Palmer shoots a double and gets Karakhanyan down, but was out of position and Karakhanyan got up before Palmer could get to him. Karakhanyan raised both hands above his head, Diaz-style. Palmer poked Karakhanyan in the eye, and we're pausing the fight for the doctor to come into the cage. The replay showed it was as intentional as a Three Stooges skit. There was a left hook followed by a right finger poke to the damn eye. Karakhanyan's left eye is completely red and bleeding a little. The doctor lets the fight continue. After the doctor leaves the ring, Karakhanyan is struggling to open his left eye. This is such B.S. and Todd Harris needs to stop telling me hos unintentional it was. CLOSE YOUR FREAKING FIST! Karakhanyan comes out more aggressively. Here's hoping he unleashes hell on Palmer. Karakhanyann missed by an inch on another spin kick. Karakhanyan partially lands a flying knee. 10-9 Karakhanyan

ROUND TWO: Palmer eats an eye poke to start the round. Can we just all a double DQ and let me watch Invicta already? Karakhanya lands a nice combo to the head of Palmer. Palmer eats a left high kick. Palmer shoots and gets the takedown. Karakhanyan locks up an armbar from the bottom, but Palmer pulls out and escapes with his limb in tact. Elbows from the bottom by Karakhanyan. Karakhanyan is diving for submissions, which is forcing Palmer to defend from the top. Palmer postures up in response to Karakhanyan throwing up a couple legs. Palmer gets punched in the head. Palmer gets caught in a heel hook attempt, and retreats to standing. If Palmer is that incompetent offensively when he does get the takedowns he needs to win, he's in trouble tonight. Heavy right hook from Krakhanyan. Palmer moving backward, but then explodes forward and gets a takedown in the middle of the cage. Karakhanyan rolls into Palmer's body, but Palmer muscles him down. Karakhanyan has both wrists controlled and is looking to get his legs up again. Palmer gets to half guard. Karakhanyan gets back to guard. Palmer postures up, but Karakhanyan is holding Palmer's wrists. Palmer drops back into guard and lands a heavy left elbow. 20-18 Karakhanyan. Could go either way.

ROUND THREE: To clarify, I have no doubt the judges will give round 2 to Palmer for the impotent takedowns. Palmer grabs a kick from Karakhanyan, but eats about ten punches and elbows from the one-legged Karakhanyan before letting go. Palmer follows with a solid kick of his own, though. Straight right from Karakhanyan. Palmer gets Karakhanyan down during a Karakhanyan front kick and immediately latches on to his back. Karakhanyan is belly down, looking to defend the choke. Karakhanyan is doing all the right hings to get free, but Palmer won't let him escape. Before Palmer loses him he moves to Karakhanyan's guard and then gets his back once again. 45 seconds remain in the round. Bas says the referee should pull them apart while Palmer is on his back. Palmer gets to guard, which Bas says is much better for Palmer. Except for the guillotine he fell into. It's over. Much better for Palmer, indeed. I guess the referee should've pulled them apart indeed.

WINNER: Georgi Karakhanyan by submission (guillotine choke) at 4:40 of round three

STAR RATING AND FINAL THOUGHTS: (**-) It was a dull fight. Karakhanyan was never able to really open up, and Palmer wasn't able to do anything when he was on top. The finish came when Palmer made a mistake that shouldn't be made in the upper levels of this sport. He'll improve, but I think his ceiling is limited.