411's UFC: Wired Report 4.12.08
Posted by JB Lederman on 04.14.2008
Like foreplay, I tenderly warm you up for live coverage of UFC 83 this Saturday with a recap of UFC: Wired. Witness one of the greatest Octagon performances of all time as GSP faces Matt Hughes for the third time! That and more inside.
UFC Wired, aired 4/12/08
Recap by JB Lederman
JBLederman@optonline.net
Welcome to the third edition of UFC: Wired Recap, wherein I review, repeat, and reiterate a recap show.
Joe Rogan welcomes us to the show. On tap tonight are three exciting fights: Chris "The Crippler" Leben vs. Kalib Starnes, Patrick "The Predator" Cote vs. Kendall "Da Spyder" Grove, and Georges "Rush" St. Pierre vs. Matt Hughes III. Not Matt Hughes the Third, but the third fight in their series, of course.
First fight (185 lbs): Chris Leben (16-3 MMA record), vs. Kalib Starnes (7-2-1).
Notes: Both men look to be in good shape. Leben has been a guilty favorite of mine since appearing on the first season of TUF. As previously mentioned, I cannot stand Starnes, since he is as big a pussy as an MMA guy can be.
Round One: Leben is the more aggressive of the two former TUF cast members, coming forward with strikes to the head and leg kicks. Man, he moves in slow motion. If Leben didn't have such a good chin, he'd get KTFO all the time, since he has basically no defensive skills standing up.Leben opens up a cut under Starnes' left eye midway through the round. Starnes scores a takedown with 60 seconds to go, and lands some shots just before the bell from Leben's guard, which is surprisingly static. Not much damage done.
Round Two: Starnes scores first, with a sharp straight right hand that backs up Leben! Starnes follows it up with a takedown and continues to press the action with a couple of crisp right hands. As the two get back up, Leben let his hands go more and tags Starnes with several lefts, while mixing in knee strikes. Starnes is wondering how to get Leben the hell out of the ring already, since Leben is just eating all his shots.
Round Three: Leben plods forward Frankenstein-style to open the round. The fight goes to the mat. Starnes with a sweet reverse! He works in Leben's guard and lands a few shots. Neither seems particularly keen on trying very hard to finish the fight. Both are content to let the time run out here.
Winner: Kalib Starnes, 30-27, 30-27, 29-28.
Second fight (185 lbs): Patrick Cote (10-4) vs. Kendall Grove (8-4).
Since the UFC is headed back to Canada this Saturday and all:
Notes: Please, kick "Da Spyder" in da ass. Idiot.
Round One: Cote out with a big right to begin. Leg kicks by Cote, a right and they exchange and clinch against the cage. Knees by Grove and then stomps by Cote. Still clinched and Cote still controls as Dean warns them to work. More knees by Grove and Dean breaks them up. Leg kicks by Cote again, and another. Misses a high kick and a combo by Grove. Good body kick by Grove. Leg kicks again by Cote, Grove pushes and they clinch and knees by Grove again. Several standing switches against the cage. Cote cannot take him down. They clinch again, and a nice right by Grove. Combo by Grove, and then a good right and leg kick connect. Nice high body kick by Grove connects. Grove shoots in, stopped and they clinch, knee by Grove. Cote lands a right just behind Grove's right ear and Grove is down! Cote mounts and then gets the back and a choke! Grove escapes and Cote in mount again with rights and just rains down! Dean stops the fight! Excellent composure by Cote after the knockdown. He calmly got guard and worked to end the fight.
Winner: Patrick Cote, KO, 4:45 of round one.
Third fight (170 lbs): Matt Hughes (41-5) vs. Georges St. Pierre (14-2).
All the training that was for naught:
Notes: This is one of my favorite fights of all time.
Round One: They touch gloves and we're underway. Hughes attempts the first takedown and doesn't get within three feet of GSP. Leg kick by GSP as Hughes takes center position. GSP misses a couple of kicks as Hughes goes for the takedown. AMAZING sequence when GSP jumps in and Hughes shoots, but GSP reacts in MIDAIR and sprawls to defend. Beautiful. GSP takes Hughes down from the clinch as he just reaches down with ease, grabs a leg, and takes Hughes down one-handed. Amazing. Hughes looks to throw elbows from the bottom. GSP still on top as he works Hughes against the cage and throws strikes in the half guard. Hughes very active from the bottom looking for submissions but GSP continues to land punches from the top. GSP passes and moves to full mount! Hughes keeping his head in GSP's midsection so GSP Hughes's head into the mat! Utter dominance. GSP gets the back of Hughes and works for an armbar as the round ends.
Round Two:
Awesome commentary on the assholishness of Hughes in between rounds as Jeremy Horn says to him, "You're fine," and Hughes says "I know!" with utter sincerity and deluded self-belief though he has JUST HAD HIS ASS HANDED TO HIM. Round starts with GSP missing a couple of kicks. They clinch again and again GSP takes Hughes down. GSP hops from full guard to half guard, continually working to improve his position. Nice elbow by GSP but Hughes is doing a better job this round at defending the ground-and-pound. GSP works to full mount for a second time in the fight and he again takes the back of Hughes. GSP puts in the hooks and looks for the RNC but Hughes spins out and we're in north-south position. Hughes tries to stand but GSP stuffs him back up against the cage. Hughes goes for the legs and grabs them against the cage, looking for his own takedown. GSP's takedown defense is unbelievable as he fights back and again slams Hughes down with a gorgeous Judo throw, this time into side control! GSP works for an arm, tries a kimura, works to an armbar, and Matt Hughes verbally submits and the fight is stopped! Matt Hughes: "I tap I tap I tap tap tap!"
Amazing performance by GSP. His career has come full-circle, as once upon a time, Matt Hughes defeated GSP by armbar with one second left in the first round; here, the victory goes to GSP with six seconds left in the round, and it almost seems as if he wanted the armbar above all other possible subs, since he had a kimura and triangle working as well.
Winner: GSP, verbal tap at 4:54 of the round two.
That's all for this week. Remember, it's been proven that watching MMA makes you ten to twelve percent tougher than the average person.
See you in a few days with LIVE COVERAGE OF UFC 83!
