MMA’s Full 38’ 10.17.07: Ten MMA Events It Is A Shame You May Have Missed - Part 2
Posted by Sid Needelman on 10.17.2007
Last week we spotlighted huge events from the past, not named Pride or UFC, you should go watch. This week's part 2 of 2, has the last 5 you should go see. Includes Shogun in a cage, Fedor vs. Arona, and many more...
People who would profit from the past would like to tell you if that you do not study the past, you are doomed to repeat it. Or that if you do not know where you have come from, you will not know where you are going. Right or wrong, for MMA events of old, it make sense to have seen events that you cannot get at Best Buy. Some of them are from countries you have never been to, have the debuts of today's champions, and some are just exciting wars back when kicking to the head of a downed opponent was allowed.
Here are the second half of the list of ten events not named UFC or Pride, that you should take the time to track down and watch. For the first half of the list, please check last week's column.
6. IFC: Global Domination From Denver, CO 9/6/2003
When I heard Joe Rogan say "Shogun" Rua was having his first fight in the cage during a recent interview, my head tilted like a confused dog. I knew something was wrong. I had seen him in a cage fight before. Forrest Griffen joins Renato "Babalu" Sobral,Bodog's current star, Trevor Prangley and Jeremy "Gumby" Horn, and others, in a light-heavyweight tournament.
Babalu, current MMA bad-boy, had one fight between his 1st of the tournament, and the devastating knockout by Chuck Liddell, for the first time. At the start of the night, he beat a bloody Prangley, but used a lot of his energy in the fight. Shogun's fight came next and was his first after his battle against "Cyborg" Santos in Meca #9, another event on this list. Shogun's first fight was a coming out party for Shogun, and he battled and punched his first opponent decisively. The second fight of the night for Shogun would be exciting and a bout worth watching, but would end in his defeat by the hands of Renato "Babalu" Sobral. At the end of the second round Babalu was bloody, and had just synched on an armbar that the bell broke up. Before the third round would be two-thirds over, Babalu pulls of the win via Guillotine choke.
To find out who Renato would be facing in the finals that night, the very seasoned, and submission-wise, Jeremy Horn takes on soon to be Ultimate Fighter, Forrest Griffen. The knees and heart of Forrest was quite obvious. Forrest had already beaten Chael Sonnen. Forrest was in control, but unfortunately for Forrest, a stand up set him up to be on the wrong side of a huge and sudden kick.
Before the main event pitting Horn vs. Babalu, local Colorado fighter Nathan Marquardt, has a quick victory. And then comes the finals of the eight man tournament that would put a nice finish to a great event with Babalu Sobral show why he deserves not to be forgotten now that he is no longer in the UFC. In fact, if you want to see him this weekend, on Saturday October 20th, Babalu will face Jorge Santiago in a super-fight for MIAMI's NAGA event. If you are interested in the Official After-party & UFC PPV viewing party for that event, email me for a discount flyer provided by Dropya Brand fight wear ---> event @ Hooligans on US-1.
7. Rings "King of Kings" Tournament 2000 from Japan over three separate events
Imagine the main event of the IFC Global Domination tournament described above, was just a preliminary fight in a tournament that would take months and would bring rise to some of the hugest names in the sport. In the first branch, an exciting event itself, had Randy "The Natural" Couture beating Jeremy Horn. That same night, Dave Menne won two fights, and Valentijn Overeem beat Renato "Babalu" Sobral. Randy also pulled out a second victory that evening, the same number the phenomenal Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, did as well.
The second, or "B" block event, occurred in December of 2000, and say a classic battle between Ricardo Arona and Fedor Emelianenko. Besides a great line up, the event was worth seeing because it use Pancrase-like rules with no strikes to the face on the ground. It is interesting, but slower to watch Fedor have to work in such manor, but it is interesting to see how one path of MMA started like this and became more brutal, and how Vale Tudo or (or NHB) started brutal, only to be softened. That night, a cut would end Fedor's gauntlet, in a fight against "TK," which he would later get a rematch with in Pride, and win.
In a final event for the tournament, Dave Menne, Renato Sobral, Randy Couture, Alistair Overeem and others battle, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, would take home the title. The star power, and difference in style of rules, make this an event worth watching.
8. The Best of TKO
My goal was to recommend specific events, not compilations, but it is hard to get your hands on all of the UCC/TKO events coming out of Canada, and to save you a little green, you can just get this 2-DVD set. A lot of the fighters you now think of as huge stars in the UFC or Pride got a start in Canada. In one of the most shocking of blood baths in MMA, David Loiseau makes Tony Fryklund see red, and a loss, when an elbow cuts open Fryklund. Both gladiators show up in other fights on the set as well. Fryklund takes on Jonathan Goulet in a not so great performance but Goulet also makes his mark on the DVD set, when he and his weird haircut, knee a fighter to sleep on the second disc.
Future UFC champion, and future former champion, Georges St-Pierre beats a Dave Strasser, and also is on the set in his second MMA fight ever. George is not the only UFC big name on the set either. Rich Franklin knocks out Antony Rea and Jens Pulver has a huge war with Duane ‘Bang' Ludwig and Sherk also is included on the set. But again, Tony Fryklund steals the show with another bloody show of anger with another stoppage loss, again to Jonathan Goulet. This guy's rage and lack of blood clotting ability is insane.
9. Dynamite: Pride vs. K-1 from Japan, 8/22/2002
This was not a Pride event, so do not even start complaining this column was for 10 events not named Pride of UFC. Reasons being, it was a combined effort of Pride vs. K-1, it has not been released by Pride on DVD to the American market, you cannot find it on the shelves at Best Buy, and there are also grappling and K-1 rules fights on it. And here is why you should track it down:
There is one fight on this event that made people realize just how amazing Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira really was. He still is great, but never did the MMA public get treated to such a fight ever again. It was a monster in Bob Sapp, against a much smaller opponent, known for jiu-jitsu. At over a 100 lbs. weight disadvantage to the behemoth, "Big Nog" was punched, slammed, pile-drived, and tossed around like a child's toy. The youtube highlights speak volumes about the fight, as one sets it to the music of the hit movie Gladiator, exemplifying the spirit, heart and willpower "Big Nog" so generously shares with those who have seen this fight. This fight in on many people's top ten lists for best fights ever in MMA, and when tried to be recaptured with Nogueira facing Zulu Jr., Pride fell embarrassingly short.
And while the rest of the event did not match that bout, there were huge noteworthy matches. had one of the most controversial moments in his career with what was at first called a loss in a grappling/Gi match against Japan's Hero, and Olympic Gold medalist, Hidehiko Yoshida.
Also appearing that night, in the theme of Pride vs. K-1 warriors, was Kazushi Sakuraba suffering a broken orbital bone at the hands, or should I say feet, of Mirko "Cro-Cop."Wanderlei Silva won his bout, and Ernesto Hoost vs Semmy Schilt ends in a draw, and Don Frye is defeated by LeBanner.
10. Pick one…
Because what is important to one person, may not be to another, here are a few ideas of what to watch depending on what is important to you:
If you want to see the rise the an Axe Murderer, Wanderlei Silva, check out International Vale Tudo Championship's IVC #2, but he has lost his luster recently, and so has this event's appeal. IVC #6 has both Silva and Chuck Lidell on the card, but not against each other.
Another event to watch if you're curious about wrestling's one time dominance in MMA, back when Steroids and head butts were weapons they could employ, watch WVC #3. At an event where Patrick Smith and Pedro Rizzo both fight, Mark Kerr makes one of his opponents literally try to escape the ring, and another, cover up his face in a ball on the ground.
Lastly, though there are dozens of more great events, try out a regional show like the Absolute Fighting Championship's AFC. In the 10th event of the series Hermes Franca takes out loudmouthed Manny Reyes Jr., and Charles McCarthy of Ultimate Fighting fame, wins his fight by armbar. Hermes too is scheduled for a superfight at this week's MIAMI NAGA event. Some of the later AFC events can be watched in high quality and often for free on AFC Fights that are free to watch include AFC battles with ATT's Mike Brown and Bodog Champ Nick "The Goat" Thompson.
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And for those of you wondering what is MMA's Full 38' It means: an octagon is 30 ft across with 4 feet extra on each side, for cornermen, doctors and camera crew. To know MMA, sometimes one needs to make sure they cover some of the lesser know aspects of it, and 38' represents a number a lot of hardcore fans would not recognize. But be warned, do not try to set up an arena without knowing how big the octagon really is, or there will be problems.
Sid Needelman
