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By: Bjorn Hansen, MMATorch Columnist
Hitman Prolongs Nightmare: John Hathaway versus Diego Sanchez
Despite being on the wrong side of a bullying beat down (of which I luckily had the chance to spectate live) Diego did headline three fights at lightweight. The first two were fight of the night caliber. He handled top contenders at the time, Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson with relative ease.
The Nightmare Begins…
Then came the painful mauling at the hands of former (still feels weird to type it) Lightweight Champion B.J. Penn. He convinced himself it was his destiny to be Champion before the fight, but during the bout he found his dream day to be more of a horrifying nightmare.
The Nightmare Continues…
Hathaway brought it to Diego for three straight rounds. The kid’s for real. British MMA is clearly advancing to the point where it’s foolhardy to overlook any British fighter’s takedown defense just based on his nation’s historic inexperience to it.
And when he wasn’t sprawling effectively, he was cracking Diego’s jaw with his knee or fist. When the only positive feedback the UFC commentary duo had on Sanchez was how sturdy his chin was amidst all the punishment Hathaway was delivering, you knew Sanchez wasn’t in the right place.
And that’s just it; maybe he wasn’t in the right place. In my opinion he jumped the gun by jumping up a division prematurely, after losing a Championship fight to the history’s best lightweight ever. Instead of regrouping and reloading, he put himself in harm’s way going up against a bigger, brawnier Hathaway.
In between weight divisions, Diego’s current proverbial fork-in-the-road dilemma will test the veracity of his relentless optimism and mystic spirituality.
Next up?
Sanchez: Any fighter weighing close to 155 lb.
Hathaway: Winner of DaMarques Johnson and Matt Riddle. I don’t see any reason to rush the young Hathaway just because Diego made a mistake moving up.
Bliss is Ignorance: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira versus Jason Brilz
The Nogueira Bros. typically look like a pair of senior citizens to the laymen’s eye, but diehard fans see their dangerous style, solid technique, and undying heart. Lil Nog stood at a blissful 8-1 favorite against journeyman Brilz. What was Match Maker Joe Silva thinking?
Either Lil Nog very much overlooked Brilz or the emboldened underdog gave the former Pride star everything he could handle. Will Lil Nog ever become a champion? Not after performances like that. Is he full of heart and fighting spirit? Sure. But those Shogun rematch cries will soften to whispers soon. At the end of the day, Brilz certified just how genial Joe Silva is at his craft.
Next up?
Nogueira: The Pirate-patch candidate Brandon Vera, if his eye-socket ever heals. (Originally scheduled for UFC 109)
Brilz: Two fights ago Luiz Cane was everyone’s darkhorse; now he could fall as the underdog against Brilz, after his Fight of the Night gritty scrap against Lil Nog.
Double Chin=Twice as Tough: Mike Russow versus Todd Duffee
Muscle and Fitness Magazine recently featured the chiseled, hulking Todd Duffee to grace the cover of their May edition.
Facing him on the other side of the Octagon at UFC 114? The pudgy and doughy, yet serviceable heavyweight Mike Russow.
Joe Rogan adeptly described the contrasting physiques as a “before-and-after picture.”
However…
If you have learned anything at all from the dreadful Ultimate Fighter Ten season, it is: Don’t you dare overlook the fat guy.
Duffee came out guns blazing in the first round, battering Russow’s brain, repeatedly. After countless horribly failed takedown attempts, it seemed Mike’s head was merely Todd’s human punching bag for the remainder of the fight when all of a sudden, BOOM! Out of nowhere Russow pulls a rabbit out of his hat, punching Duffee right on the button. Knocked out COLD.
In MMA, the physique of your chin matters more than of your body. The most devastating come from behind knockout in UFC history followed up by the most innocent feather-light hammer-fist ever. Strangely, it all adds up.
Next up?
Russow: If he remains a fighter, Paul Buentello.
Duffee: TUF 10 Finalist, Brendan Schaub
How to Count to Zero: Michael Bisping versus Dan Miller
The bout begins with an animalistic stare-down. Like a big buck ram, without forgiving an inch of territory, Bisping jostled foreheads with Miller, even punctuating it with a powerful flick of the head at the end. Brilliant work, lad! Somewhere there is a sheep blushing and dropping her panties.
Bisping has always proclaimed “I like to finish all my fights in devastating fashion.” Well, what’s to say of his zero knockouts tally? Improper technique, not genetics is to blame. It’s that darn wrestling. Bisping doesn’t want to commit to his punches to remain evasive from the takedown.
Personally, I don’t understand why he doesn’t just embrace his high-volume/low-impact style the way Nick Diaz does.
Next up?
Bisping: He’s hoping that Wanderlei gets another chance to “kick the Bisping ass” in the form of a rematch.
Miller: UFC Headquarters may be one pink paper shorter today.
Follow the Leader: Rashad Evans versus Quinton Jackson
It’s Interesting to see the mental evolution of Rashad’s game-planning. The Countdown to UFC 88: Evans vs. Liddell was similar to the Countdown to UFC 114, in that Rashad promised to be in the face of Liddell and Jackson.
Instead of looking to knock Rampage out cold, as Rashad did against the ‘Iceman’, he stuck to his “bread and butter” wrestling. Don’t look now Mike Schiavello, but Rashad is a wealthy, “Poor man’s” Georges St. Pierre. In the case of Champion GSP... that’s high praise.
Evans wants the belt and “Champion” moniker more than he wants adoring fans. He’ll follow GSP’s safe-but-effective style right to championship glory if he can; entertainment be damned. Love it or hate it, that’s Greg Jackson’s modus operandi. Jackson’s mastermind has led Evans to the promised land once before, and if he continues to follow Jackson’s script, it may not be so long before he returns.
Gut-Decision Goes Hauntingly Wrong
Any feeble-minded MMA scribbler saw it coming: Rampage falls to ring-rust. Coming to camp at a rotund 251 lbs was a bloated gut-decision that will haunt Jackson forever. It wasn’t a decision that bore no fruit, though; according to Jackson he’s got several major movie offers on the table if he wants them.
Dana insists Jackson will stick to the UFC’s greener pastures; but is it really greener? If the A-Team movie does better than expected and critics rave about Rampage’s natural acting ability, it will be difficult to compete with how green Hollywood’s pastures will be.
Next up?
*Evans: Sugar’s unrelenting quest to return to glory leads him to a faceoff with Light Heavyweight Champion Shogun Rua and his vaunted Muay Thai prowess.
Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
STAFF COLUMNISTS: Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
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