Sunday, February 6, 2011

UFC 126

Last night was another fantastic night for MMA and the UFC. There were three main fights on the card, and each one delivered on the considerable hype of Super Bowl eve. In chronological order...

Jon Jones vs. Ryan Bader

Jon Jones has quickly developed into the biggest thing in MMA. He went into last night's light heavyweight with a record of 11-1, the lone defeat being a disqualification when he was battering Matt Hamill with a few 12 to 6 elbows. There is no one at 205 that can match his combination of athleticism and creativity.

Ryan Bader went into last night's fight unbeaten in his first 13 fights, looking like a future champion in several fights after winning The Ultimate Fighter. The UFC was billing this as a match to see who would control the future of the light heavyweight division. What the fight quickly became was a coronation.

From the time that Bader and Jones first engaged, it became readily apparent that Jones was much stronger than Bader. Bader would not be able to control Jones' posture, despite being a two-time NCAA wrestling champion. Jon Jones seems to surprise almost everyone he fights with his strength. Bader became so frustrated that he pulled guard in the second round and wound up setting himself up for a guillotine choke at 4:20 of the second round.

After the fight, Joe Rogan informed Jones that he was being tagged as a replacement for Rashad Evans and his damaged knee in a March 19 title shot against light heavyweight champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 128. Jon Jones now has 6 weeks to get ready for the biggest moment of his young career. For Bader, it's back to the drawing board.

Forrest Griffin vs. Rich Franklin

Like most fans of the UFC, I love Forrest Griffin. Griffin is a true blood and guts fighter that combines his desire to make all of his fights exciting with a wit and personality that stands out. Griffin has written two best selling books (the first one, Got Fight?, is hysterical...haven't read the second one), and is the poster boy for the UFC. Rich Franklin is also one of the good guys, having coached several times on the Ultimate Fighter and having represented himself well in the cage whenever he fights.

Griffin took Franklin down in the first round and proceeded to control Franklin with ground and pound, taking control of the fight. Most of the last 2 rounds was a stand-up battle, with both fighters landing consistently, but neither one taking control of the fight. Griffin had a number of unorthodox strikes, combining right kicks to the head with right crosses. Franklin was quicker on his feet, but never landed the punch or kick that would seize momentum. Griffin wound up winning a unanimous decision (29-28 on all 3 cards), and is now another quality win or two from another title shot. For Franklin, it's hard to imagine where this loss leaves him. He seemed much too small for Griffin. You have to wonder if he can compete at 205 against the best competition. If Jon Jones is the wave of the future, he may want to move back to 185.

Vitor Belfort vs. Anderson Silva

Anderson Silva is the most dynamic MMA fighter in the world, although his conduct in the ring hasn't always endeared himself to UFC fans. Anytime you watch a Silva fight in public, there's sure to be several people on site that don't mind telling you that Silva is a punk that doesn't represent the sport well. The fact that Silva's spectacular striking has helped to grow mixed martial arts around the world seems lost on these people, and it's always nice watching them hang their heads after another spectacular performance.

Vitor Belfort is a former UFC champion known for his quick hands and finishing skills. After Silva's fight with Chael Sonnen, it appeared that perhaps Silva was in decline, and that Belfort was tailor-made to take advantage of Silva. Both fighters seemed content to stare at each other for 90 seconds before engaging. Belfort got a takedown of Silva, but Silva quickly stood back up, then leveled Belfort with a left front kick that seemed like a video game shot. Mario Yamasaki could have stopped it right there, but Belfort ate two more punches before the fight was stopped at 3:29 of the first round.

After the fight, Dana White confirmed that Silva's next opponent will be Georges St. Pierre in a matchup between the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, provided that GSP can beat Jake Shields when they fight in April. It would seem that GSP has the perfect style to beat Anderson Silva, but Silva is the bigger fighter, and, as long as he doesn't spend the whole night on his back, Silva should be able to land strikes on GSP.

For now, Silva can bask in the glow of one of the most spectacular knockouts in the history of MMA, as he continues to build a legend that will last long after he has finished his career.

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