411's WEC WreckCage Report 7.01.09
Posted by John Lamb on 07.01.2009
One of the best fights of 2008, an epic brawl between Donald Cerrone and "Razor" Rob McCullough, headlines this week's edition of WreckCage!
What's going on people? My name is John Lamb and I am your WEC WreckCage recapper. Enough of the pleasantries, let's get to the action!
Lightweight Division:
Mike Budnik (7-0) vs. Greg McIntyre (5-2)
Round One: McIntyre starts the fight immediately in Budnik's guard. Budnik is doing a good job of controlling McIntyre's arms and legs. McIntyre practically puts himself into position for a guillotine choke but Budnik does not follow through. McIntyre lands a few cursory strikes but he is doing no damage. McIntyre passes to side control. McIntyre lands a few grating elbows to the face. McIntyre moves to the north south position and puts Budnik in a headlock but he pulls McIntyre back into guard. McIntyre postures up and lands a blow. Budnik tries to sweep using McIntyre's right arm but to nothing comes of it. Budnik throws some strikes from the bottom. Budnik has McIntyre is a triangle as the round draws to a close. McIntyre was in the dominant position for most of the round but failed to do anything impressive. I would give the round to Budnik but the professional judges might see it the other way.
Round Two: Budnik comes out with a sidekick that catches McIntyre off guard! McIntyre goes for a take down but ends up in Budnik's guard once again. Budnik again does a good job of controlling McIntyre's arms and head making life hard for Greg. The two fighters are against the cage, limiting McIntyre's options. Nothing is going on and the ref stands the fights up. Budnik throws a right leg and McIntyre comes over the top with a big right hook! Once again McIntyre goes for a take down and ends up in guard. The referee immediately tells both fighters to work or she will stand them up. McIntyre postures up momentarily and lands two strikes. Once again the fighters are stood up. Budnik comes forward with a a slow right hand. McIntyre shoots again and is pulled into guard. Budnik is attempting a triangle and then turns that into a kimura attempt. McIntyre finds himself in better position this time around on the ground and is able to posture up and land some strikes that may have scored him some points. The round ends with both fighters on the ground once again. McIntyre looked a little more effective this round but it is obvious that Budnik possesses superior jujitsu and has controlled the fight from the guard. If this fight was put on in front of a typical UFC crowd these two would've been booed out of the building by now.
Round Three: Both fighters come out throwing big time punches. Budnik brings McIntyre down into closed guard once again. Budnik throws some lefts and rights from the bottom which allows McIntyre to posture up and answer with strikes of his own! Budnik tries to work a guillotine from the bottom but can't lock it in. An elbow from McIntyre opens up a small cut over the left eye of Budnik. Two minutes left in the fight and Budnik brings McIntyre down with a flying triangle choke! Referee Kim Winslow stops the fight! Frank Mir speculates that McIntyre tapped due to exhaustion as the triangle wasn't locked in that deep.
Official Decision: Mike Budnik by submission (triangle choke).
Bantamweight Division:
Scott Jorgensen (5-2) vs. Frank Gomez (6-0)
Round One: The fighters tap gloves in the center of the cage. Gomez throws a few probing rights kicks. Jorgensen shoots on Gomez and brings him down with a headlock. He threatens to lock in a guillotine but but Gomez does a good job of sprawling. Jorgensen keeps working for the guillotine. He has Gomez in a bad spot against the cage and forces him to tap! The choke looked like a front rear naked choke. Frank Mir calls it a power choke and I call it just plain nasty.
Official Decision: Scott Jorgensen by submission (guillotine choke).
Lightweight Division:
"Razor" Rob McCullough (16-4) vs. Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone (8-0)
Round One: Both fighters trade strikes in the center of the cage. McCullough drops Cerrone with a jab but Cerrone recovers nicely. Both fighters seem content with trading blows with one another. They are trading shots one for one. McCullough drops Cowboy once again with a big right and comes in swinging! Cerrone shows an iron chin and pops right back up to his feet. Cerrone throws a high right kick and follows that with a left jab. A straight right drops McCullough and Cerrone mounts Razor! Cerrone drops some huge fists and elbows and it looks like McCullough is busted open. Some more rights from Cerrone land flush on McCullough. Rob gives up his back but scrambles and ends up in Cerrone's guard. Cerrone is very good on his back and attempts a triangle. The ref pauses the fights so McCullough can put his mouth piece back in. The fight restarts with both fighters trading strikes in the center of the ring. Cerrone has McCullough's blood smeared on his right arm and chest. Cerrone lands and left jab that drops McCullough! Cowboy drops McCullough with a straight right and jumps into McCullough's guard. McCullough is in a bad way but he looks like he will survive until the end of the round. This round started off all McCullough as he dropped Cerrone twice in the opening moments but that big man came back and knocked Razor down three times, including once with a very soft left jab. This round goes to Cerrone, no doubt.
Round Two: Cerrone looks like he is bleeding from his nose as the round begins. Another straight fight finds its way to McCullough's chin. Rob is throwing some big strikes but they aren't landing. Cerrone throws a big right that McCullough practically runs in to. Razor stumbles backward and Cowboy takes his back, trying to work a rear naked choke. McCullough reverses and ends up on top of Cerrone. Donald attempts a triangle but McCullough breaks free. Cerrone then applies an armbar but McCullough somehow manages to slip free and the crowd goes crazy. Both fighters go back to throwing bombs in the center of the ring. Cerrone comes very close to landing a muay thai knee that would've definitely ended the fight. McCullough throws a front kick that lands and momentarily stuns Cerrone. McCullough lands several big right hooks on Cerrone as Donald refuses to keep his hands up. Cerrone comes forward with a superman punch but McCullough slips it. Cowboy lands a few right jabs. McCullough has made it a point to pepper in some leg kicks with the strikes he is throwing. The round comes to a close with both fighters looking worse for wear. This round was extremely entertaining but I have to believe that Cerrone took this one as well as he made more attempts to end the fight with submissions and big time strikes.
Round Three: McCullough's face is jacked up while Cerrone is sporting some slight bruises and small cuts. The Cowboy continues to land punches at will. Cerrone shoots and has McCullough in a bad position against the cage. Both fighters return to their feet and Cerrone had another chance to throw a muay thai knee but doesn't pull the trigger, McCullough knows that he needs to stop the fight here and looks like he is loading up for a big right. Cerrone, however, lands a right of his own that throws McCullough's timing off. Rob eats jabs every time he tries to close distance. Cerrone throws a flying knee that gets a rise out of the crowd but didn't seem to do much damage. Cerrone goes for a takedown but McCullough sprawls but eats some punches for his troubles on the way back to his feet. Just over a minute left and Cerrone is still throwing big time leather. McCullough throws some leg kicks that Cerrone checks easily. Cerrone throws another flying knee and follows that with a take down of McCullough. Both fighters throw some big time bombs as the fight ends. I can't believe that McCullough wasn't knocked out here. He ate some pretty nasty strikes, especially late in the fight, that would've stopped a lesser man.
Official Decision: Donald Cerrone by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-27).
Overall not a bad episode. Certainly better than last weeks showing. If you have any comments, questions or concerns please do not hesitate to e-mail me! I'll see you guys next week, same time, same place.
