Passing the Guard 09.13.08: D-Bag
Posted by Stephen DeAugustino on 09.13.2008
Passing the Guard is back with more action-packed goodness as this weeks edition contains a huge preview and review section! Missed any of last weeks UFC 88 event? Want to get the low down on all of next week's upcoming fights? If so, don't miss this one! Plus, the latest in MMA news from all around the web.
Good day and welcome, to another weekly edition of Passing the Guard! Last weekend we were treated to some pretty exciting fights thanks to UFC 88: Breakthrough. In case you missed any of the action, Passing the Guard is providing you with an in depth review as always, as well as coverage on all of this past weeks biggest stories. With some great fights to recap, let's not waste any more time…
Reviews
UFC 88
Kurt Pellegrino defeats Thiago Tavares by way of Unanimous Decision
With each man coming off upset losses in their last respective fights, Thiago Tavares and Kurt Pellegrino needed to prove something last Saturday, and while there was only one winner, it could easily be argued that both did so. After only a brief lull in action in the first few seconds, Pellegrino drops Tavares with a right straight and immediately rushes in to finish what the punch started. After taking a beating on his back, Tavares manages to maneuver back to his feet, where he is stuffed several times after attempting a few takedowns.
A mess of blood and cuts, the second round starts with Tavares pushing the action, much of the surprise to everyone. Tavares is finally able to acquire a takedown via a nice outside leg sweep. However, after a few moments of pounding Kurt out in the guard, Tavares gets caught in a deep armbar. Controversially, Tavares seems to give a brief two-tap just as Kurt releases the submission, allowing Tavares to escape and continue his strikes. The second round ends there, with the man that was being ravaged a few minutes before in the first round, coming back strong and putting the pressure on Pellegrino.
The third begins much like the first, with each fighter keeping at a distance and throwing some long-range strikes. Things get interesting when Tavares goes for another takedown but fails, as Pellegrino sprawls and spins to take the Brazilians back. The fight ends up back on the feet, where Pellegrino once again stuffs a takedown and takes the top position, pounding out Tavares for the remainder of the fight. Pellegrino wins by decision.
So where from here? Tavares has lost his past two, but he put on a good show and fought hard. Sure this is going to knock the American Top Team member down a few, but don't expect to see Tavares to go anywhere. After trouncing some smaller names in the under card, I am almost positive Tavares will be back in the title mix. As for Pellegrino, I wouldn't mind seeing him face Huerta next. Kurt is much improved since his last fight, and while he would be a clear underdog against Huerta, it would be the perfect fight for him to advance further up the latter, especially since Huerta is coming off his loss against Kurt's friend, Kenny Florian. Only time will tell, but fingers crossed.
Dong Hyun Kim defeats Matt Brown by way of Split Decision
As one of the only Koreans to ever compete in the UFC, Dong Hyun Kim has a lot riding on his shoulders, and so far he has done an exemplary job of carrying it. Undefeated in not only the UFC, but also his entire career, "Stun Gun" probably went through his toughest test ever in the form of Matt Brown on Saturday. Brown is coming off of a solid win over Matt Arroyo, and is considered one of the best fighters to have competed in The Ultimate Fighter season 7.
In the opening minutes of the first round, the crowd watched as Kim, a seasoned Judo player, managed to put Brown on the floor with a nice foot sweep and secure the back in what looked like a possible quick ending to the bout. Despite having an arm secured under the chin, Kim failed to finish and ended up being shaken off to the floor with Brown in his guard. After the action stands, Kim attempts two more trips, with both failing and one leading to Brown taking the Korean's back. Brown utilizes a rather sloppy choke before the bell sounds.
The second round sees Kim attempt more takedowns, but once again he comes up short. Brown takes advantage and takes and works from the guard before standing up and getting the better of a few exchanges on the feet. While Brown's strikes look lukewarm at best, they are good enough to land and score some points. The third round sees a bit of a slower pace than the first, until Kim finally lands a sweep and gets side control. Losing the side mount, the fighters go to the fence and volley for position. Kim manages to claim another trip, and lands into Browns guard where he fires off a few elbow shots that open Matt up under his eye. The fight ends, and Kim takes it by split decision.
Now, you can argue for either fighter here. The crowd booed as Rogan stepped in for the closing remarks, like they usually do for any close fight or against any foreign fighter, but honestly it was much too close to consider it a stolen win for Kim. While Kim failed more than he succeeded in his judo offensive, he managed to control Brown every time he did nail a takedown, which is more than could be said for Matt. Decent fight though.
Nathan Marquardt defeats Martin Kampmann by way of Technical Knock Out
When you throw a striker like Kampmann in against a grappler like Marquardt, you expect certain things to happen and certain things to not. It was pretty clear going into the fight that Kampmann would try to stand and throw with the former King of Pancrase, and it was thought that Nate would do his best to take his foe to the floor and search for the tap. However, in what seemingly was a foreshadowing to the main event later in the night, Nate would end up the one being the more formidable striker,
Marquardt would claim the first strike, but not without some retribution from Kampmann, as "The Hitman" struck quickly back with a solid right. That would be the only offensive Martin would get the chance to launch, as Marquardt lands several strikes, including a head kick, that in combination place Kampmann on the fence. From there, a flury of punches follows his down to the floor as Referee Yamasaki steps in a little before the 1:30 mark. TKO win for Nate.
Kampmann was looking sharp prior to this fight, riding a nine-bout win streak, which included quite a few notable submission victories. Where should the Dane go now? It's hard to say, especially since the middleweight division is looking pretty slim, but I could see him fighting against Rousimar Palhares. With that said, I would also like to see Marquardt take on Henderson, with the winner getting a rematch with Anderson Silva; Besides the fight with Cote and a rematch with Okami, which won't happen for awhile considering he is injured, there is really not much else the division can throw at Silva.
Rich Franklin defeats Matt Hamill by way of Technical Knock Out
Being that this is Franklin's first fight at light heavyweight since his title reign at 185, Saturday night help some pretty heavy significance for Franklin and his future in the UFC. Not only that, but it was brought into question how Franklin would deal with a fighter with such a strong wrestling background, As Franklin has never really had to work off his back to win a fight. Needless to say, "Ace" passed all test with flying colors and appeared to be a solid threat to a number fighters in the stacked 205 division.
More of a feeling out process, the first round saw little action as Franklin kept to the outside and peppered Hamill with leg kicks. It wasn't until the last minute clocked by, that things got heated. Hamill charges in with a nice left hook that glances Franklin and manages to open him wide up. Soon after, Franklin is taken down and eats a few before attempting a armbar. Failing in his submission, Franklin waits it out as the bell sounds.
Second round action is more of the same as the first, but this time the leg kicks seem to be doing some damage. Franklin mixes things up by moving inside and outside, with the occasional body kick thrown in for good measure. With Franklin's cut looking pretty rough, the former champion continues to pour it on has a frustrated Matt Hamill takes a few sloppy shots that all fail. The round ends with Franklin attempting a flying knee.
The third round begins and ends faster than anyone expected. Both fighters come out and circle when Franklin snaps a nice kick to the liver, folding his opponent to the canvas. Hamill taps as he winces with pain for the few seconds immediately after the shot, and the fight is called. Franklin has done it again, and has shown just how versatile of a fighter he can be. It will be very interesting to see what exactly he adds to the mix of the 205 elite. Right now, it is hard to say who Franklin should be looking at next. While rumors have been flying that Anderson Silva and Chuck Liddell may be in the works, I can really see Franklin taking a fight with Liddell as well. Bottom line is, the light heavyweight division is incredibly stacked right now, and Franklin adds a lot more to it.
Rashad Evans defeats Chuck Liddell by way of Knock Out
In what appeared to be a rather dull main event turned out to be one of the biggest upsets this year, as Rashad Evans gunned Chuck Liddell down in Saturdays final fight. Evans, a former heavyweight and TUF winner, was coming off of a draw to Tito Ortiz (which would have been a loss if Ortiz had not snagged the cage for a point deduction) and a rather lackluster split decision win over Michael Bisping. While Liddell hasn't exactly been on fire either as of late, the former champ showed some of his old colors in a win over Wanderli Silva, in which fans considered to be his return to grace. Regardless, whatever thoughts existed about either fighter prior to Saturday have been shattered with one punch.
The first round is essentially a five minute log feeling out process, with Liddell pushing forward with jabs as Evans circles away from the cage, throwing the occasional punch of his own. Things pick up a bit in the last thirty seconds, but no significant damage is done and is doubted that very many points were scored. The first round could be given to chuck though, simply for his control of the ring and his aggressiveness throughout the round.
The second round looks as more of the same until a flurry of punches takes place between the two, with Rashad landing a nice jab throughout the exchange. The jab would prove to be Liddells end, as Evans throws it twice and follows up with a devastating overhand right that puts Liddell away instantly. The replay shows both fighters throwing at the same time, with Evans launching his straight as Chuck throws everything into an uppercut. Obviously, it was Evans who landed first, and with lethal results.
In the aftermath of the fight, there has been much speculation as to where Chuck goes from here. Some speculate Liddell may be finished, even though the "Iceman" himself has stated he has no interest in doing so. Others recommend a change of camps for Chuck. As far as future opponents go, the only talk so far has been a potential fight with middleweight terror Anderson Silva, but if Chuck is finding trouble dealing with Rashad Evan's stand up, one can only imagine what "The Spider" would do.
Preview
UFC Fight Night
Nate Diaz Vs. Josh Neer
While not the best main event to ever grace a Fight Night card, Diaz-Neer will be a solid fight, with both fighters demonstrating impressive ability in their last outings. For those of you that don't remember, it was Nathan, the younger brother of Nick Diaz, that pulled off a come-from-behind win over Kurt Pellegrino. On the same page, Josh Neer managed to oust UFC veteran Din Thomas in a solid unanimous decision victory. While neither man is currently ranked or even being considered in the title picture, a win here would surely place either a few spots up in the title race.
Since losing to the older Diaz a few years back, Josh Neer has accumulated a 7-1 record with most of the victories being outside of the UFC. As a matter of fact, the only fight Neer has fought in the Octagon since his 2006 loss to Nick Diaz would be his last fight against Thomas. Regardless, if Josh continues to fight the way he has been, he could very well pull a victory out here.
Nathan Diaz has also been on a bit of a hot streak as of late. The Caesar Gracie Jujitsu student not only claimed victory on the Ultimate Fighter 5, but has submitted his way to a three fight win streak, with none going past the second round. With that said, Nate has the ability to submit Neer for sure; the three men that have tapped Neer, Drew Fickett, Nick Diaz, and Josh Thompson, all share about the same, if not less impressive, submission skill set that Nathan possesses.
Another factor that has to be considered is that Neer posses a bit of a strength advantage over Diaz, being a former 170 ponder who has dropped to lightweight. Will that make a difference against someone as lengthy or technical as Diaz? It is hard to tell, but you have to figure it can't hurt Josh's odds. In the end, I just don't see Neer being able to put Diaz away without being busted in a triangle or some other submission from Nate's guard. Expect to see Diaz get roughed up a little bit before he pulls out another sub victory, in the second round.
Clay Guida Vs. Mac Danzig
Mac Danzig will find his toughest opponent yet since his appearance in the Ultimate Fighter when he takes on Clay Guida Wednesday night. Danzig may be one of the most seasoned fighters to have ever appeared on the show, keeping in mind that at one point in his career Matt collected a 12 fight win streak before losing to Clay French and Hayato Sakurai back-to-back. Since the show, Danzig has only competed once, making it difficult to gauge just how much the lightweight fighter has improved sine his showing on TUF.
Clay Guida will be the perfect man for that job. After making a splash in the UFC by spoiling the arrival of Marcus Aurelio, Guida has fought against the likes of division greats such as Roger Huerta and Tyson Griffin, and while he lost both bouts, Guida put on an amazing effort that helped build up his current reputation as an aggressive and excellent fighter. Nothing could test Danzig more than the fast pace the Guida delivers in all of his fights.
It will be interesting to see a collected and calculating fighter such as Danzig take on an emotion-driven fire such as Guida. You can probably expect to see some fireworks in the early minutes as Clay looks to finish Matt quickly, but as the fight progresses, look for Danzig to stick to a game plan and most likely end things with a submission. Matt Danzig by tap out, round 2
Ed Herman Vs. Alan Belcher
This fight really isn't looking all that hot, but it's free, so of course you're going to watch it. Ed Herman really has to be the favorite here, even though he is coming off of a submission loss to the now hot Demian Maia. Herman managed to make it to the finals of
The Ultimate Fighter where he lost to Kendall Grove. In his next fight, he was submitted by Jason MacDonald before claiming three consecutive wins in the Octagon, making him 3-3 in his past 6 fights. Nick named "Short Fuse", Herman accurately reflects this as his emotions are usually the determining factor in his victories or defeats.
Alan Belcher seems to be in the same limbo status that Herman is. Some of you may know Belcher for his KO victory over Jorge Santiago, or you may know him as the dude that got brabo choked by Kendall Grove. Either way, Belcher is now sporting a 3-3 record in his last 6 fights, just like Herman, with his most recent fight being a loss to Jason Day.
If either one of these guys wants to be seen as contenders in the middleweight division, they will have to start putting some wins together very quickly; I can't see either of these guys coming back from another loss here, so a W is make or break. My bet is on Herman. Ed has shown in the past that he can be a very aggressive fighter on the feet and on the ground, and his only huge weakness would be his submission game. Belcher lacks any kind of submission ability to take advantage of that, and the result will be an Ed Herman decision victory.
Houston Alexander Vs. Eric Schafer
Talk about taking a u-turn. Aside from Gabriel Gonzaga, Houston Alexander was probably one of the most hyped fighters to have entered the UFC in recent times. After making a splash in his first UFC appearance by trouncing Keith Jardine, and then following up with an annihilation of Alessio Sakara. People were demanding to see Houston fight Wanderlei Silva, Chuck Liddell, or Quinton Jackson. Alexander was the future of the division, until Thiago Silva showed up. Silva revealed a gapping hole in Alexander's game: A novice-like submission and grappling game. After taking the fight to the ground and working around a poor guillotine choke, Silva pounded his way to victory. James Irvin made matters worse by finishing off Alexander in less than ten seconds.
Eric Schafer recently suffered his own case of rough back-to-back losses, but not nearly as devastating as Alexander's. In 2006, Schafer dropped a TKO loss to Michael Bisping, and nearly a year later in his next fight, lost another fight via TKO, this time at the hands of Stephan Bonnar. Since then, Eric has won a couple of fights outside of the Octagon, and will be making an attempt to get back into the swing of things with a victory over Alexander.
Very similar to the Herman-Belcher fight, I would have say that the loser here is going to be in a very deep hole. If Alexander drops this fight, the chances of him coming back from three consecutive defeats anytime soon are slim, and the same can be said for Schafer, who needs to make a solid impression here in his first fight back in the UFC. A must win for both fighters.
Sadly for Schafer, I don't think he has the tools to handle such a physical fighter like Alexander. I don't expect the fight to get very far either, as Alexander usually comes out swinging for the fences right off the horn. TKO win for Alexander here, round 1.
News
War Machine Released By UFC
Jon Koppenhaver, now legally known as War Machine, as been recently released by the UFC by Joe Silva after fight negotiations and some personal comments severed the relationship. Recently, Koppenhaver made some critical statements on his blog about the death of Evan Tanner.
"What else is an underpaid fighter supposed to do at the end of his career?" Koppenhaver wrote on his Myspace. "Cash in his 401K? Collect social security? Start to work some s— job for 10 bucks an hour? (This) s— ain't boxing, and if you're not Chuck [Liddell] or Tito Ortiz, you don't get paid dick."
As for the fight negotiations, apparently Koppenhaver turned down a proposed fight with newcomer Brandon Wolff, expecting to fight a bigger name. Looking to fight Matt Arroyo, Koppenhaver began getting on Joe Silva's bad side.
"‘Who in the hell is [Brandon] Wolff?" Jon said to MMA Junkie. "So, I looked him up and made some phone calls. I've got a lot of friends in Hawaii — ‘Rude Boy' (Troy Mandaloniz), Kendall Grove, my trainer. I got the same thing from everybody. They all said the guy is savage, sick, tough as hell, a really tough fighter and a really tough fight. Basically we all came to the conclusion that I have nothing to gain from the fight… I want to fight someone with a name. I said, ‘Give me Josh Burkman. Give me Dustin Hazelett. Give me someone with a name.' "
Strike two for War Machine. After turning down the Wolff fight and campaigning for the Arroyo fight, Koppenhaver switched gears and requested a bout for former TUF participant Matthew Riddle. The story as told by Jon reveals Silva's reaction.
"Joe Silva — he was pretty much on a power trip," War Machine states in the same interview. "He was like, ‘I already told you that I already have Wolff for War Machine. I don't know who he is thinking he's negotiating with me. You know what? I'm sick of this guy.' Then he brought up the Evan Tanner thing. ‘He made a dumbass comment on Evan Tanner. He's not supporting the UFC. You know what? War Machine is cut.' And they cut me."
And that's all she wrote for Jon Koppenhaver's career in the UFC. War Machine was 1-1 in the UFC, winning his first fight in spectacular fashion over Jared Rollins at the TUF 6 finale, and dropping his most recent bout to Yoshiyuki Yoshida by way of anaconda choke. The only downer to Koppenhaver's leave: We'll never hear Bruce Buffer announce Jon's new name on television.
Sobral Out Of Strikeforce Show
The arrival of Renato Sobral in Strikeforce was a big deal for the ever growing promotion, however bad luck has struck twice as now Sobral himself has been drawn out of the fight. Originally intended to be a title fight between current champion Bobby Southworth and "Babalu", Southworth sustained a knee knjury a few weeks back that forced replacement Anthony Ruiz to step in.
Ironically enough, yet another knee injury has forced the other half of the original title fight out as Strikeforce executive Mike Afromowitz confirmed Wednesday that Sobral has suffered a "knee tear". Afromowitz has not yet said if Strikeforce will look to find yet another replacement, or if the fight will be scraped altogether. The event is scheduled for September 20th and will take place at the playboy mansion.
Mitsuhiro Ishida Signed Up For Strikeforce At The Mansion
DREAM and Pride veteran Mitsuhiro Ishida will be fighting in his US debut under the Strikeforce banner as the Japanese MMA star is schedualed to compete at Strikeforce at the Mansion II on September 20th. Ishida will be competing against former NCAA wrestler Justin Wilcox, who has gone 4-0 in his past four fights.
Ishida is coming off a upset loss to UFC veteran Caol Uno in the second round of the DREAM lightweight grand prix, where he was choked out in the second round of action. Prior to that however, Ishida became the first man to defeat Caesar Gracie standout and former Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez. With Melendez still lurking around in the division, a possible rematch between the two is very plausible at this point.
Strikeforce at the Mansion II will also be featuring Kazuo Misaki vs. Joe Riggs, Josh Thomson vs. Ashe Bowman, and Terry Martin vs. Corey Devela.
Kongo Follows Jackson To Team Wolfslair
How lucky can you get? UK-based fight camp Team Wolfslair has received their second notable addition in this month in the form of Cheick Kongo, who joined up this past week. Kongo is following right behind former light heavyweight champion and good friend Quinton Jackson, who joined a short while beforehand.
According to gym co-owner Anthony McGann, "(Quinton's) old management weren't on great terms with the UFC, but we are very UFC-friendly here and have a lot of time for (UFC president) Dana White so we stepped in," McGann told Eurosport.
"It was the same with Cheick. He was having some problems negotiating his new contract with the UFC and was looking for somewhere to train so it was an easy decision for him to join his mates." McGann continued. "It was the same with Cheick. He was having some problems negotiating his new contract with the UFC and was looking for somewhere to train so it was an easy decision for him to join his mates.
Besides Jackson and Kongo, the only other significant Wolfslair team member would be Michael Bisping, who is looking to fight Chirs Leben at UFC 89. Kongo was suppose to fight Brock Lesnar sometime this year, but the reappearance of Randy Couture spoiled that. As for now, Kongo will be waiting in the wings. Jackson may be fighting by the end of 2008, however, as talk of a third fight between him and Wanderlei Silva seem to be one of the hot topics in the light weight division today.
Random Pass
I'll be honest; I am by no means a fan of Kendal Grove. As a matter of fact, I often find myself sitting on edge during all of his fights, hoping to God that the man gets knocked out or submitted in some way, shape, or form. With that said, I figured this video did a good job of illustrating my feelings toward Mr. Grove, in a pretty entertaining kind of way.
Well, I'm pretty sure that wraps up everything for this week. Thanks for coming by and I hope you enjoyed. Have a good weekend, see you next week; you've just passed the guard!
