The Rear Naked Column 09.02.09: Epic Encounter

Posted by Samer Kadi on 09.02.2009

UFC 102 has come and gone and it provided us with one of the greatest main events in the history of The Ultimate Fighting Championship as Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira defeated Randy Couture in an absolute classic. Join 411’s Samer Kadi as he looks back at the epic bout, in this week’s edition of “The Rear Naked Column”.

I meant to write about UFC 102. From the middleweight title picture headache created by Nate Marquardt's destruction of Demian Maia to Keith Jardine's official demotion into gatekeeper territory in the light heavyweight division. I tried forcing myself into typing an entire paragraph discussing Bradon Vera's frustratingly conservative approach to fighting. And I finally intended on breaking down the UFC heavyweight title scene and its top contenders following the outcome of the main event. But I couldn't put my heart into it.

There are times in sports, any sport, when you're just glad to be a fan. Saturday night, for me, was one of those times. As I sat down right after the event to type 1500 words or so for today's column, all I could think of was "epic".

I've spent the past two weeks previewing "the battle of the icons" pitting two of the sport's greatest heavyweights ever in Randy Couture and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. And despite dedicating two columns to emphasize on the importance and the significance of this contest, part of me was never quite convinced it would live up to the standards set by both fighters during the course of their illustrious careers.



Numerous questions surrounded the bout. From Couture's age to Nogueira's fighting age –apparently he's in his forties in fighting years – especially after the latter's last performance when he was brushed aside by huge underdog Frank Mir. Rumors of the once mythical Brazilian getting twice knocked out in training didn't help the general sense of anticipation in the days leading up to the fight.

Many were also take aback by the fact that the show was being headlined by two fighters coming off losses, and decisive ones at that. "Two old guys past their prime in the main event" they said.

"The former PRIDE heavyweight champion, the former UFC heavyweight champion…"

"The former two time UFC light heavyweight champion, the former three time UFC heavyweight champion, the legendary UFC hall of fame, Octagon warrior…" – Bruce Buffer.

Hearing those introductions, you quickly realize these aren't your average "old guys". It's Minotauro and Captain America we're talking about here, two men who have made a living out of proving critics wrong and overcoming the odds.

As I mentioned in a previous column, these two are responsible for some of the greatest moments this sport has ever seen. When they stepped into the Octagon on Saturday night, magic was in the atmosphere. From the fighters' introductions to the staredown, to one of the loudest crowds in recent memory, these two titans engaged in what I believe is best heavyweight tussle to take place inside the Octagon.

Randy came out bobbing and weaving like a boxer, as he now always does, peppering the Brazilian with jabs and right crosses. Minotauro attempted to pull guard but Randy backed off. The gameplan became apparent. Couture was banking on the stand up to establish his dominance while avoiding Big Nog's ever dangerous ground game. Nog, as all champions do, had a few surprises up his sleeve, surprising Couture with improved boxing and the overall striking game that saw him become one of the top heavyweights in the world.



Nogueira's jab was surprisingly effective, and he backed it up with a consistently impressive right hook. And while his head movement is still poor as Randy tagged him on multiple occasions, Nog showed he still possesses the legendary chin he's notoriously famous for. His footwork actually looked improved and even though Randy looked like the more dynamic fighter on the feet, it was the Brazilian who had the better of most of the exchanges, dropping Couture midway through the first round and almost finishing him with a Darce choke. But Randy showed the kind of composure only he can, by staying calm, defending well, waiting for Nogueira's arms to tire out and lose his grip before regaining his feet and breaking free. Randy then clinched and roughed up Nog from the clinch, who held his own, perhaps more than many had anticipated in that position.

Surprisingly, Randy opted not to utilize the clinch for the remainder of the fight which I thought was a tactical error. I believe the Frank Mir fight had many underestimating Nog's stand up skills and Randy paid for it dearly. After not having his way with the striking in the second round, Randy took the fight to the ground where Nog executed one of the most beautiful sweeps I recall witnessing. He gained mount and worked for an arm triangle which Couture defended as well.

The third round was all Nog. He looked the more physically imposing fighter, having more snap and power behind his punches, unleashing them with more conviction, and controlling Couture on the ground with surprising ease. Randy again displayed his skills by defending Nog's submissions despite the BJJ wizard taking his back and working for a rear naked choke. Couture reversed in the final minute although it proved too little too late.



Georges St. Pierre, Wanderlei Silva, and above all, Randy Couture, are three fighters I get nervous when watching. But something was different with this fight. This was one of the rare occasions where my feelings change as the fight goes on. When Minotauro first dropped Randy and locked in the choke, I wanted Couture to tap. For the first time ever, I found myself rooting against my favorite fighter, if only for mere seconds. I wanted Nogueira to announce his comeback by sending a statement and comprehensively stop The Natural. But when Randy showed great heart, courage and determination by refusing to tap and eventually escaping the hold, I found myself "marking out".

I went back and forth as the fight developed, each time hoping for a different outcome, with every punch, takedown , sweep, submission attempt or submission escape. Never have I experienced such an emotional rollercoaster while watching a Mixed Martial Arts fight.

Larry put it perfectly in his 3R's column: "This was MMA accidentally doing professional wrestling better than professional wrestling itself". It almost looked scripted, like something right from a clichéd movie playbook, minus the fairytale ending. With the hero getting dominated, almost finished, yet refusing to give up. Randy's heart was more on display than ever. He refused to take the easy way out in front of his fans, family and friends. The crowd really made the fight as well, reacting with every blow, every turn of events, almost making me believe the Natural could pull it off even in the unlikeliest of moments deep in the final round.

Bonnar-Griffin was one of the most exciting fights you'll ever see, Liddell-Silva was legendary. They went out and slugged it out for three rounds, refusing to go away, and kept an insane pace for the full fifteen minutes. The result was two of the most memorable contests in UFC history. But there's something different about this fight. This was more than two guys slugging it out toe to toe. This fight had it all. It was skill, will-power, heart, perseverance and hard work. From Minotauro putting on one the best displays of his career when most people had written him off, to Randy Couture surviving everything the Brazilian threw at him and moving forward. The striking was technical and the ground fighting was world class. It even had a Frye-Takayama moment, with both fighters throwing wildly from the clinch. The fight might have been relatively one sided, but only legends can put on such a memorable, exciting, and technically sound fight. Yes Randy was dominated, but had it been any other fighter, the bout would have been waved off in the first round with Nogueira earning the submission victory.

I may be overrating the fight, but the truth is I haven't, and will not watch it again, at least not in the immediate future. This was one of my favorite experiences as an MMA fan, and it might lose its effect upon second viewing. I won't risk tarnishing it and choose to remember it the way portrayed in this column.



I'll leave it up to you the readers to decide. Please leave your comments and let me know what you thought about the fight and where it stands compared to other heavyweight battles. See you next week.