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RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
I don't know if I have an arbitrary number to assign to this card or anything. It was a very humdrum and predictable show with a finish for the ages. You don't really need me to tell you that though. Other than Evan Dunham being better than Rafael dos Anjos, which really wasn't all THAT surprising, nothing memorable happened tonight. Until, you know, the last five seconds of the card. While there was zero surprise in my eyes that Vitor Belfort KO'd the most overrated UFC debutante since Tony Halme, anytime you see a spinning heel kick finish to end a show, your jaw drops. So by definition, that was a surprise. So a score for the card? How about this: (Meh+)
FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR: (7.5)
Vitor Belfort's crazy highlight reel spinning kick is worth two points all on its own. That was insane. I thought that if Rockhold could weather the early storm that he could pull off the win. However, he did not weather the storm and got posterized. Vitor will likely get the next Middleweight Title shot, and it's clear that he deserves it. He might have to wait a while, though.
The other 0.5 is for Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza's impressive submission work against Chris Camozzi. That was nice, and he made it loo really easy. Other than these two things, the show was average. There was nothing wrong with it, it was solid, it was the definition of average.
ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR: (7.0)
The under card on Fuel was decent and It had some enjoyable fights. Not too many memorable moments, but it was worth watching. The Rafael Dos Anjos vs. Evan Dunham was a good fight that I thought Dunham won, but nonetheless it was fun. With the win Dos Anjos should get a top ten fighter in his next fight.
The co-main event between Souza and Camozzi went like I thought it would. Camozzi was game, but Souza overwhelmed him. I look for Souza to competing for a title sometime in 2014. This was not a great fight.
The bad thing about the free TV cards is that usually they only have one good fight and if it isn’t any good then the rest of the fights tend to be forgotten. The other bad thing about the free cards is that I miss Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan.
Luke Rockwell vs. Vitor Belfort had a huge amount of hype going into it and it was unlikely it would live up to it. Who could have imagined that the actual fight would be ten times better than the lead up to the fight? The spinning back kick that Vitor Belfort landed was an all-time great finish and will be on everyone’s best of list next January. If Anderson Silva fights again at 185 then Belfort should be given the shot.
My score for this one would have been higher if the other fights were better. Ultimately, the main event was so great that it does not really matter.
CJ TUTTLE, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR: (7.9)
I want to start out by saying, if I am a UFC fighter of any descent other than Brazilian, there is no way I am fighting in Brazil under any circumstances. Especially if my opponent is using drugs that should be illegal but aren't.
Now that I have gotten that out of the way, UFC on FX 8 delivered for me in a way other events haven't done as of late. Knockouts, submissions, and promising phenoms (aside from Dias) who are supposed to produce were impressive.
Maldonado's cardio for a big man impressed me, he threw punches to the body constantly and recovered from the most blatant low blow ever. Yuri Alcantara blew me away, definitely needs to be top 10.
Gutsy performances in different ways by Paulo Thiago and Nik Lentz. I think Thiago showed he still belongs with the top dogs, while Nik Lentz proved to be the only white boy all night that had any success. Other than Evan Dunham of course. That fight was great and while I don't see how the decision was unanimous I do think it could of went either way.
Souza did what he should have and looked impressive. But Chris Camozzi will be heard from again.
I will not sit here and talk any s*** on Vitor. He came out, backed up his promise and deserves another title shot. TRT is irrelevant until its illegal; he looked fast, had the killer instinct, and took advantage of an emotionally drained Rockhold. I look forward to Vitor fighting Weidman before all is said and done.
Oh did I mention I hit an 8 person parlay on the fights?: Proof
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
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