(Awet if you haven't watched Pride 33, Pride 34, UFC 69 and later events, don't read this yet.)
I, and many critics, thought that UFC 68 would end with a bloody beatdown by Tim Sylvia on Randy Couture. The Natural, instead overcame a big age, weight and reach disadvantage to become world heavyweight champion. At 43 years of age he obtained a dominating unanimous decision.
Before a rematch with Matt Hughes, the only man to defeat him, George St. Pierre appeared to be given an easy welterweight title defense against Matt Serra, a fighter with a good but non-stellar record of then 8-3. Serra floored GSP with a right then finished him off on the ground for a TKO. New welterweight champion at UFC 69, Matt Serra.
In the last two DSE-owned Pride events (the company was acquired by the Fertitas, owners of the UFC) Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, an African judo champion definitely got himself noticed. At Pride 33, he got an instant knockout in less than 30 seconds over middleweight stand-out Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (twin brother of former Pride Heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo). At Pride 34 he proved it was no fluke against Ricardo Arona an ADCC submission wrestling champion, middleweight grand prix runner-up and former middleweight championship contender. Sokoudjou stuffed Arona's takedown attempts and after stopping the last try, KO'd the Brazilian Tiger with an uppercut.
Also in Pride 33, Nick Diaz came back from a 1st round knockdown to submit Pride lightweight champion, Takanori Gomi, in the 2nd round by a gogoplata (shin choke). Two things though: 1) This was a nontitle fight. 2) Nick Diaz tested positive for THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) and this bout was declared a no-contest by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC).
The latest Holy shit-moment in MMA happened on Saturday night in the United Kingdom, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, last year's Pride open weight grand prix champion, was expected to run over Gabriel Gonzaga in a match to determine Randy Couture's next heavyweight challenger. Since I am discussing this in an article regarding upsets, obviously Cro Cop lost to the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. What's so surprising? Cro Cop, a man with many left high kicks in his highlight reel, was knocked out by Gabriel Gonzaga's right high kick at UFC 70. (See the fight here.) In a moment reminscent of Mirko's own KO of Wanderlei Silva, Cro Cop blocked to the body while Gonzaga's shin hit Filipovic's head. To add insult to injury, it appeared that Mirko's right knee and/ or ankle were twisted as he fell back on his right leg. I know Mirko is one genuine tought SOB, but can any orthopedic surgeon explain to me how he was able to walk out of the octagon on his own two feet afterwards?
Scary thing is: It's only been 4 months into 2007. In how many more PPV's will the unexpected occur?
UPDATE: According to a Croat website, (in English) Mirko Filipovic was limping at a press conference upon arrival at his country.
I, and many critics, thought that UFC 68 would end with a bloody beatdown by Tim Sylvia on Randy Couture. The Natural, instead overcame a big age, weight and reach disadvantage to become world heavyweight champion. At 43 years of age he obtained a dominating unanimous decision.
Before a rematch with Matt Hughes, the only man to defeat him, George St. Pierre appeared to be given an easy welterweight title defense against Matt Serra, a fighter with a good but non-stellar record of then 8-3. Serra floored GSP with a right then finished him off on the ground for a TKO. New welterweight champion at UFC 69, Matt Serra.
In the last two DSE-owned Pride events (the company was acquired by the Fertitas, owners of the UFC) Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou, an African judo champion definitely got himself noticed. At Pride 33, he got an instant knockout in less than 30 seconds over middleweight stand-out Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (twin brother of former Pride Heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo). At Pride 34 he proved it was no fluke against Ricardo Arona an ADCC submission wrestling champion, middleweight grand prix runner-up and former middleweight championship contender. Sokoudjou stuffed Arona's takedown attempts and after stopping the last try, KO'd the Brazilian Tiger with an uppercut.
Also in Pride 33, Nick Diaz came back from a 1st round knockdown to submit Pride lightweight champion, Takanori Gomi, in the 2nd round by a gogoplata (shin choke). Two things though: 1) This was a nontitle fight. 2) Nick Diaz tested positive for THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) and this bout was declared a no-contest by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC).
The latest Holy shit-moment in MMA happened on Saturday night in the United Kingdom, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, last year's Pride open weight grand prix champion, was expected to run over Gabriel Gonzaga in a match to determine Randy Couture's next heavyweight challenger. Since I am discussing this in an article regarding upsets, obviously Cro Cop lost to the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt. What's so surprising? Cro Cop, a man with many left high kicks in his highlight reel, was knocked out by Gabriel Gonzaga's right high kick at UFC 70. (See the fight here.) In a moment reminscent of Mirko's own KO of Wanderlei Silva, Cro Cop blocked to the body while Gonzaga's shin hit Filipovic's head. To add insult to injury, it appeared that Mirko's right knee and/ or ankle were twisted as he fell back on his right leg. I know Mirko is one genuine tought SOB, but can any orthopedic surgeon explain to me how he was able to walk out of the octagon on his own two feet afterwards?
Scary thing is: It's only been 4 months into 2007. In how many more PPV's will the unexpected occur?
UPDATE: According to a Croat website, (in English) Mirko Filipovic was limping at a press conference upon arrival at his country.
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