The Sprawl And Brawl Video Review 11.20.07: Cage Rage 16: Critical Condition
Posted by Randy Harrison on 11.20.2007
With a showdown looming against Dan Henderson, we take a look at a pre-UFC Anderson Silva and one of the most famous KO's in MMA history in this week's Sprawl and Brawl, along with a battle between a "Bad Boy" and a "Bad Ass". Who is the baddest of them all? One click reveals all...
Another day, another Sprawl and Brawl. Hello again everyone, and welcome in again to the video review that gives you what you want and what you need and doesn't even charge an outrageous per minute fee like those telephone chat lines where you can have the sexual relations with many beautiful women. This week the Sprawl and Brawl is going to be heading across the pond to the UK to have a look at their homegrown Cage Rage promotion. Larry, my mentor, was kind enough to send this DVD along for review and as such it's ready for all of you to enjoy. Thanks to Larry again for passing this one along to me as it's always good to get a little more MMA into my DVD collection!
A little history about the Cage Rage promotion as it's been around for almost six years now. They held their first event in September of 2002 as promoters Dave O' Donnell and Andy Geer saw holding a mixed martial arts card as a way to raise some funds for new mats for their martial arts studio also called Cage Rage. The promotion ran on its own until just recently when it was bought out by Pro Elite, who has been snapping up smaller promotions like ICON, Cage Rage and King Of The Cage like no one's business. Cage Rage fights are held in an octagon cage similar to the UFC's cage, although smaller, and that has been a sticky legal problem for them as the UFC has threatened on a couple of occasions to take legal action but to my knowledge have never acted on it. Another feature that made Cage Rage unique until recently was its open guard rule, which allowed for kicks and stomps to a downed opponent provided that the fighter was on his back, able to defend himsef, and at least one metre away from the sides of the cage. The promotion did away with the rule recently in an attempt to help with the standardization of rules for MMA in the UK. With the history lesson out of the way let's get to the fights peeps!
Thanks to Keith Lipinski and Big Vision Entertainment for sending this DVD to 411 for review.
Cage Rage 16: Critical Condition is available for purchase right here.
Cage Rage 16: Critical Condition
It's April 22, 2006 and we're in the Wembley Conference Center in London for Cage Rage 16: Critical Condition. It's a big card with two championship fights and a good old fashioned grudge match so let's get it underway!
Ian Freeman intros all the fights talking a little about each fighter and what to expect before throwing it to the video packages and the fights themselves.
Match One: Welterweights
Daisuke Nakamura (8-7) vs. Michael Johnson (3-3)
Nakamura is coming into this one with all of his eight wins coming by KO/TKO or submission, including a flying armbar. Johnson could potentially be rusty with this being his first fight since February of 2004.
Round One
Nakamura takes the center of the cage immediately and fires a leg kick that misses. He trows a one-two but eats a right hand over the top from Johnson and gets put on his ass. Johnson goes right down into Nakamura's guard, and is looking to finish, but Nakamura recovers quickly and starts controlling Johnson's head. Johnson moves him over to the fence but he can do nothing from the top and Nakamura kicks him away. Johnson sticks the jab and tries for a huge right hand but misses again. Nakamura with a jab back and a right hand of his own that also misses before he doubles up on a right hook, landing both to the side of Johnson's head. Johnson fires back with a solid kick to the body and rushes into a clinch, taking Nakamura's back while they're standing and then scoring the takedown off of it. Nakamura's trying for a kimura from the bottom and he sits up with the arm, falling onto his back into guard, cinching a little tighter on the hold. Nakamura turns it over and locks it up, taking half guard with a leg across Johnson's back to hold him in place and Johnson has nowhere to go and no other option but to tap out.
Winner: Daisuke Nakamura, submission (kimura) at 1:54 of Round One
Our first problem crops up with Nakamura being misidentified as Edson Drago in the post-fight graphic displaying the winner. Nakamura however had no problems with this fight, despite being dropped by that punch very early on. He recovered well, avoided any more damage and jumped on the opportunity for the submission when it presented itself. A great win for Nakamura under a little adversity. Cage Rage Light Heavyweight Champion Melvin Mahoef is the presenter of the trophies to both fighters and he looks huge...and angry.
Match Two: Heavyweights
Edson Drago (7-0) vs. Tengiz Tedoradze (17-5)
Round One
Both guys are chomping at the bit to get started as they're both chastised by the referee and told to get behind the line in their respective corners. The horn sounds and Drago feints in and connects with a scintillating left hook right on Tedoradze's button, knocking him clean out. Tedoradze is laying on his stomach on the mat and when he pushes himself up with his arms you can see in his eyes that he is still out of it. A beautiful punch and amazing KO power from Drago on that one. He's also happened to set a new Cage Rage record for the fastest KO too with this one.
Winner: Edson Drago, KO at 0:05 of Round One
The trophies for this fight are being given out by some normal looking guy in the cage wearing a hoodie. Fedor something or other I think it was. I wonder if he fights or if he's just some celebrity that wanted a piece of the action. Drago and Tedoradze pose for pictures with that Fedor guy and the ring card girls and Tedoradze STILL looks like he got hit over the head with a hammer.
Freeman in his post-fight deal talks about the KO and for Tedoradze to keep his chin up. Um, Ian? That's probably not the best advice to be giving him at this point since keeping his chin up is what caused him to have that impromptu nap in the middle of the cage a few minutes ago.
Match Three: Welterweights
Jason Barrett (1-1) vs. Jeremy Bailey (5-6)
Barrett is known as the “Bad Ass” and Bailey is known as the “Bad Boy” and according to Freeman, “Bad Ass, Bad Boy, Bad Blood” is what we can expect in this one.
Barrett decides to regale us with a rap about his opponent and since it's such comedic gold I'm going to go ahead and transcribe it for you, my great Sprawl and Brawl fans.
Cage Rage 16 Critical Condition,
and the Brockley Bad Ass is back on a mission.
A mission to fill my fans with delight,
a mission to win this fight tonight.
The date's been set and so has the stage,
the Bad Ass and the Bad Boy in the same cage.
So roll your cameras and you'll see,
there's no one in Cage Rage with slick skills like me.
But Bailey's scared he don't want to fight,
in front of three thousand fans in Wembley tonight.
Bailey's shook, he's scared stiff,
Cause the Bad Ass bangs like November the Fifth.
Jay's on the attack, Bailey's on the run,
he can't believe this is only round one.
Jay throws a left and then a right,
and when he knocks out Bailey it's like dynamite.
Dreads flying everywhere, Bailey just got slew,
He didn't even make it to round number two.
So “Bad Bob Marley” time to take off your skirt,
have you ever been beat up by a black man before.....
That shit HURTS.
That is just fantastic. Your rebuttal Mr. Bailey?
Jason, Gayson, Bitchass, “Bad Breath” Barrett. Whatever the fuck your name is this week, you will be gone tomorrow. Cause this fight for me and you is like a modern-day Western. The ref, he's good, and you know I'm bad, which means you peanuthead, you must just be plain ass-ugly. I can't wait to retire you, but Bitchass, not all is lost. You can come and work for the “Bad Boy” afterwards. I will rent out your bottom and you can earn me a living for the rest of your days, you little bitch, AKA, the South London hook-hider, AKA the Brockley bum bandit, AKA Supershine. You see me and this audience we've got something in common. We both think you're a proper fucking mug. So come of the hour, come of the man, and if you think you're brave enough, take your boyfriend's cock out of your mouth, meet me in the center of the cage and when the bell rings let's swing for the fucking fences and five this crowd what they really want to see, cause I don't think you've got the bollocks or the back. There's just two things you've got to remember about this fight with me Bitchass. I'm hot...and you're fucking not. You prick.
Wow. I'm not even sure words can describe how entertaining those were. We also get to see the shoving match that broke out between the two at the weigh-ins. Barrett gets rapped to the cage with his own theme song and a group performing it for him. Bailey comes in with an entourage of women in front of him wearing t-shirts with letters on them that spell “Bad Boy”. He's also sporting an interesting camoflauge pants and hat with a black mesh wifebeater look on the way to the cage as well. He calls Barrett gay and yet shows up to fight wearing an outfit like that. Comical.
Round One
Barrett takes the center and throws a leg kick and a front kick. They trade leg kicks and exchange against the fence before Bailey circles out, prompting Barrett to rush forward, but as he does he takes a big right hand from Bailey. He throws two more big ones that just glance Barrett before rushing forward and throwing another wild combination that misses as Barrett grabs his head/hair and starts in with the uppercuts. They clinch and push off and Barrett has the hair again, landing more uppercuts with the handful of hair. Bailey with a front kick and Barrett is throwing combinations back, but not landing much of anything. Barrett with a couple of Thai knees and another combination before the referee steps in and admonishes him again for grabbing the hair.
A left uppercut/straight right combination from Barrett gets blocked by Bailey who counters with a HARD left hook to the head. A chopping leg kick lands from Bailey and Barrett flails away with another wild combination with nothing on it. An uppercut leads to a combo from Barrett but most of the punches are blocked by Bailey as Barrett goes to the hair again, landing another uppercut and a couple of knees. Bailey's corner is livid and Barrett is shown a yellow card for his repeated fouling by hairpulling. Stephen Quadros is right saying that it must be hard NOT to grab the hair when there is that much of it and he calls it a “big snafu of a hairdo”. Triple leg kicks from Barrett and Bailey fires back with a huge combination before Barrett throws another looping combo that misses and a leg kick that hits.
Barrett rushes and throws another combination hitting mostly Bailey's arms before grabbing the hair AGAIN for a flying knee attempt. A leg kick from Barrett lands square and Bailey hits a body shot and a left hook. They exchange sloppy punches and leg kicks and Bailey just misses with a left hook, but he lands the straight right hand, playing to the crowd before hitting Barrett with a right hook. Barrett is into the hair again, blatantly this time, throwing a combination and grabbing another handful before throwing a knee and the ref steps in and calls the fight.
As the referee is talking to Barrett explaining the situation, Bailey comes up behind the ref's back and lands a clean right hook to the head of Barrett over the shoulder of the official. Bailey walks around the cage, taking a victory lap, and when he gets to Barrett's corner he takes a fighting stance again. Barrett tries to walk out of the cage immediately after but his crew keep him in there long enough for the trophy presentation. What a wild scene to end the fight.
Winner: Jeremy Bailey, DQ at 4:57 of Round One
Match Four: Cage Rage British Light Heavyweight Championship
Ryan Robinson (6-3) vs. Mark Epstein (11-7)
Round One
Epstein takes the center and Robinson shoots, but Epstein is able to sprawl out of it as Robinson lifts him up into the air, slamming him and taking side control almost immediately. Robinson starts landing some big looping left hands from the top and Epstein is working the body from the bottom until he gets one of his arms trapped by Robinson. Robinson still pounding away with the left hands from side control as Epstein tries unsuccessfully to control the head, eating hard shots from Robinson including some hammerfists. Robinson with a couple of solid rights and a hard left hand, continuing to pound away from the dominant position as Epstein has no answer at the moment.
Down to the body and back to the head with more left hands from Robinson before he passes guard into the full mount. Epstein bucks him right off though, giving up his back in the process as Robinson tries for an arm but Epstein slips it out and uses it to reverse, gaining top position on Robinson. Epstein in Robinson's full guard now and working the body before passing into side control. Epstein tries to lock in a head and arm triangle but Robinson's defending it well, locking his hands together to avoid having his arm be straightened out. The round ends with Epstein still trying to finish the choke.
Round Two
Epstein has a big knot on his head from the first round, but he lands a hard straight left hand to start the second. Robinson shoots under for a double leg, but Epstein sprawls out of it well. Into the clinch and Robinson's shooting again with Epstein sprawling out again, landing some hard shots to the body this time. A good knee by Epstein in the clinch and a trip takedown scores putting him on top of Robinson into Robinson's guard. Robinson tries for an armbar, rolling onto his stomach and letting go of the arm to try for a single leg takedown but Epstein sprawls out of it again with punches and grabs a side guillotine, using it to flip Robinson over onto his back again.
Robinson's scrambling to get to his feet now and he tries for another single leg but Epstein is too strong, sprawling out and putting Robinson right back onto his back. Robinson looks for a kimura from the bottom but Epstein pulls free from it and lands a good right hand. Robinson throws up a triangle attempt but Epstein defends it well and stands back out of it causing the referee to call open guard, which means that kicks to the head of a downed opponent are legal during that time. Epstein with a flying stomp that gets the crowd into it and takes side control. Epstein scoring with some hard left hands as he's almost got Robinson into a crucifix position.
A knee to the body from Epstein and Robinson takes it and spins around, regaining full guard, defending and negating Epstein's offense until the referee stands them back up. A leg kick lands for Epstein and Robinson throws a high kick that misses, dropping down for a takedown attempt. Epstein sprawls out of it again and pushes Robinson onto his side, allowing Epstein to rain in some hard punches and hammerfists from the top position before he takes side control again on Robinson. Epstein tries for a keylock but can't manage to close it up and cinch it in before the horn sounds to end the round.
Round Three
Robinson shoots immediately and gets the single leg takedown, pushing Epstein against the fence and trying to do some damage from his half guard. Epstein controls the head again as Robinson's scoring with some lefts from the top, controlling one of Epstein's hands and working some punches to the face, bloodying up Epstein's nose. Epstein tries a sweep but Robinson stays on top with more left hands working over the cut. A lot more lefts to the head and rights to the body from Robinson before Epstein is able to reverse, getting back to top position.
Epstein in Robinson's full guard now, trying to control his arms and free himself for some power punches but Robinson pulls a rubber guard, although he does it poorly enough to allow Epstein to pass into side control. Robinson scrambles again and Epstein puts him right back down on his back, not doing much before finally landing some elbows to the body. Robinson's turned over to his side again and Epstein makes him pay by dropping three HARD left hands forcing Robinson to turn to his stomach and try for the single leg. Epstein sprawls out again and lands some wicked body shots as the fight comes to a close.
Winner: Mark Epstein, Majority Decision
Robinson looks crushed by the loss during the post-fight presentations and in a funny moment after the fight when Epstein is being interviewed he compares winning the championship with “fifty orgasms all rolled into one”. That's a lot of pleasure right there, my friends.
Match Five: Heavyweights
Garry Rowlands (0-0) vs. Robert Berry (8-3)
Berry is built like the proverbial brick shithouse here and has Cage tattooed on his right inner bicep and Rage tattooed on the left, so he makes sure to flex a lot during his ring walk. Rowlands is apparently a doorman (bouncer) over there and he looks the part, as he's a little chubby and a LOT pale. I mean he would frighten a ghost I think.
Round One
Berry takes the center and tries a knee up the middle that Rowlands blocks, throwing a wild right hand counter. Rowlands misses another big swing and Berry ducks under it, taking him down into side control. Berry grabs an arm and goes for a keylock, securing it quickly and wrenching it backwards, drawing the tap from Rowlands almost as quickly.
Winner: Robert Berry, submission (keylock) at 0:47 of Round One
Here's a shot of Berry with his Cage Rage tats that will make a welcome addition to any family's Christmas cards this holiday season.
I'm not sure whether to admire that kind of dedication or to pity it but since he could probably eat me whole, I'll go with admire.
Match Six: Featherweights
Hiroyuki Abe (6-8-2) vs. Brad Pickett (6-1)
Abe is a wrestler who will be looking to take things down to the ground while Pickett will be looking to keep things standing as his nickname “One Punch” tells you exactly where his strengths in this fight lie. Pickett is also introduced as the Cage Rage British Featherweight Champion but there isn't any indication that the title is on the line here.
Round One
Glove touch and a leg kick from Abe that Pickett fires over the top of with a good three punch combination. Abe sticks the jab and works a leg kick again before shooting on Pickett for the takedown attempt. Pickett stuffs it into a clinch and he scores knees to the gut of Abe. Abe picks a single leg and slams Pickett down and, although Pickett does his best to just stand right back up, Abe finally gets him down against the fence. Abe pushes off to strike but Pickett stands up, eating some punches and giving up his back to Abe. Abe lets go of the bodylock and they trade leg kicks. Abe with another hard jab and Pickett manages to slip in a counter left hook underneath, before Abe shoots in for a takedown which Pickett stuffs, leading to a clinch against the fence.
Pickett tries to work the body and then misses a three punch combo as Abe responds with a hard left hook and a really solid leg kick. Pickett fires back with a leg kick of his own followed by a one-two combination into a Superman punch that drops Abe against the fence. Pickett standing in Abe's guard now, raining in shots as the totally unbiased British announcer says that he's “opening up a can of whup-ass” on Abe. Abe covering up well to avoid taking a lot of damage but Pickett keeps throwing hard shots with a few slipping in and catching Abe. Abe weathers the storm and pulls Pickett down into guard for a moment before Pickett stands back up and throws down some more hard shots.
Abe weathers it all again and pulls Pickett back down into a full guard,closing it off this time so Pickett cannot stand back up and do more damage. Pickett starts working some hooks to the body of Abe and they're stood up by the referee. Abe lands another couple of left hooks to the head of Pickett and they clinch with Abe using the clinch to score the takedown. Abe takes full mount but Pickett reverses to the top position and Abe tries for an armbar with Pickett pulling free from it and landing a solid right hand as the horn sounds.
Round Two
Pickett starts out the round flicking the jab as both guys start out a little tentative. Pickett rushes Abe with a combination that misses but he puts Abe against the fence and throws a spinning back kick and a flying knee although both miss. Abe ducks under and scores the takedown again into Pickett's half guard, before Pickett tries for a rubber guard, giving up side control in the process. Abe looks for a kimura but Pickett stands up and they exchange with Pickett scoring a leg kick and a good hook to the body. Abe shoots in again and Pickett stuffs it, clinching him against the cage and working knees into Abe's gut.
Abe scores on a trip takedown into Pickett's guard, which Pickett stands out of before getting his leg picked and getting taken down again. Pickett stands up again and hits Abe with a big right hand, knocking Abe backwards before rushing him with hard shots to the body. Abe shoots but Pickett sprawls well this time, forcing Abe to turtle and landing some shots to his body before almost taking his back. Abe manages to get full guard back and controls Pickett's head as Pickett starts to land more body shots in tight.
Pickett continues to punish Abe with hard body shots, forcing Abe to close his guard even tighter and once that sets in, the inactivity follows, causing the ref to stand them back up. Abe lands that left hook again but Pickett responds with two hard lefts of his own and a hard knee into a Thai clinch. Pickett works the Thai clinch to perfection with two more knees to the head and body and an absolutely fantastic knee right as the horn sounds.
Round Three
Another glove touch and they exchange with Pickett getting the better of it, landing two hard uppercuts and a glancing spinning back fist. A spinning back kick as well from Pickett and he shoots in on Abe but it gets stuffed into a clinch, leaving Pickett to work knees to the body before pushing off and landing another hard combination. Abe hits that left again and does a little more damage followed by a straight right that lands flush and they clinch with Pickett dominating it with some dirty boxing before pushing off with a vicious standing elbow.
Two more elbows from Pickett and a couple of left hands as Abe is starting to look pretty hurt from the punishment he's absorbing. Abe grabs Pickett and then pushes him away to avoid taking any more damage, but Pickett rushes with a leg kick and two more hard body shots that drive Abe's back up against the fence. Pickett lands some more of those Thai elbows and takes the Thai clinch as well, scoring with knees to the body and the head. A jumping knee/left hook combo lands well for Pickett and Abe clinches and holds on for dear life as Pickett starts with the footstomps.
Pickett with a bodylock but can't take Abe down and they seperate with Abe landing jabs and that left hook AGAIN, but Pickett responds with more Thai elbows. They trade jabs before Abe lands a nice uppercut/left hook combo and two hard jabs followed up by a straight right hand that hurts Pickett. Pickett eats a couple more punches before shooting for the single leg and getting the takedown. A short slam and punches to the body from Pickett and Abe throws up a high guard but there's nothing there as the fight is over.
Winner: Brad Pickett, Unanimous Decision
Match Seven:Middleweights
Jorge Patino (12-8-1) vs. Curtis Stout (10-8-1)
Patino is a Chute Boxe fighter and you all know what that means. Stout is a boxer primarily so it should be interesting to see if the two strikers stand and bang or if they end up being afraid of each other's strength and refuse to engage.
Round One
A graphic for Abe and Pickett comes up on the screen and it's start to get annoying with the errors. I just can't tell if it's Cage Rage in their production or the DVD production that's messing up so I'll reserve judgment. Patino takes the center and hits a hard leg kick to start out and ducks under a punch for the single leg. He switches to the double and has Stout up against the fence, but Stout does well to sprawl out and avoid the takedown. Patino turns Stout's back away from the cage and manages to get the trip takedown into Stout's half guard. Stout controls the body well as Patino passes the guard into side control.
Patino puts on an interesting submission, locking a keylock in with one of his legs and also working on a neck crank before Stout rolls out of it and back to his feet. The open guard rule comes into effect momentarily before the referee stands Patino back up. Stout rushes in with a leg kick and takes a wild swing that misses badly, allowing Patino to pull guard on him and get the fight back to the ground. Patino holds on in his half guard, controlling Stout and trying to slip out the side, doing so eventually and reversing back to top position.
Stout holding and avoiding well from the bottom as Patino tries to gain some seperation to strike, taking side control again but ultimately being able to do nothing with it as they stalemate until Patino gets Stout crucifixed. Stout however bucks right out of it, forcing Patino to go for another neck crank, which he transitions into a side choke from the top. Patino sticks some hard knees in to the body of Stout from the top to end the first.
Round Two
Patino jumps in with a left hook and pops right back outside of Stout's range as Stout manages to hit a leg kick but misses with another wildly thrown combination. Patino shoots and they scramble with Patino ending up on the bottom in half guard, though he reverses it quickly to regain top position, pushing Stout up against the fence. Patino takes mount and is starting to rain some serious shots down on Stout before Stout posts up against the fence and reverses it, standing out of Patino's guard and getting the fight back to its feet.
Stout misses with a leg kick and Patino hits a left hook again, before scoring another takedown against the fence with a double leg. Patino quickly takes mount again and forces Stout to turn to his side by landing repeatedly with left hands. Lefts and rights from Patino now and Stout tries to buck him off, giving up his back. Patino gets one hook in and is trying for the second while slipping in a rear naked choke before he gives up on that and just retakes mount. Patino scoring with more hard lefts forcing Stout to turn again as Patino moves over to side control and attempts a side choke.
Stout manages to pull out the back of the choke and gets back to his feet, lifting Patino and slamming him down before going to work in Patino's guard. Patino throws up a triangle attempt but there's nothing there as Patino shifts to try and tighten it before giving it up. Patino is controlling and avoiding damage from the bottom as Stout gets out from the guard and stands again, bringing the fight back to its feet. They circle each other and feint until the round comes to a close.
Round Three
A glove touch and Stout takes the center as they circle with Patino throwing a wild shot that Stout responds to with a combination of punches. Patino shoots in and Stout sprawls well out of it, putting Patino down onto his back. Stout just walks away and gets Patino to stand back up as they do more circling with nothing to show for it. They smile at each other and Stout's corner goes insane screaming at him to hit him, not smile at him. Patino with two wild swings that both miss and a leg kick that lands as Stout throws a combination. Patino makes him look foolish by slipping every punch before shooting in for the takedown.
Patino is in Stout's half guard and trying to pass into the mount but Stout fights out of it before finally giving it up. Stout reverses almost as quickly though and takes the top position, trying to score out of Patino's half guard but Patino defends well against it. The referee stands them up with a couple of minutes left and Patino lands a high kick but it has nothing on it. They circle again and feint and bounce and try to look fresh although they're both exhausted. They throw almost nothing until Stout hits a combination with a hard body shot.
Stout sprawls out of a Patino takedown attempt and they circle some more, with Patino holding his right hand tight to his face like he's talking on a cell phone, to avoid the powerful left hook that Stout came into the bout with. Patino shoots the single and gets the takedown again into Stout's half guard but Stout spins and scrambles to his feet, working a combination to the body as Patino drops again and takes him down as the horn sounds to end the fight.
Winner: Jorge Patino, Unanimous Decision
Match Eight: Middleweights
Amar Suloev (19-5) vs. James E. Nicolle (6-0)
Suloev is a Pride veteran and a member of Fedor Emelianenko's Red Devil Fight Team. Nicolle is a British fighter taking a big step up in competition as, despite the unbeaten record, he hasn't had a real test yet. He should prepare to be tested now with a striker the caliber of Suloev.
Round One
The graphic for this one says Dave Strasser vs. Paul Daley and these errors are really starting to piss me off. Nicolle lands a leg kick to start off and eats a stiff jab as they circle and feint, feeling each other out in the early going. Nicolle misses with a big right hand and eats a short left from Suloev followed by a hard leg kick and a nice combination. A real flurry of strikes from Suloev to the head and body of Nicolle and an absolutely BEAUTIFUL judo throw puts Nicolle onto his back and allows Suloev to try for an armbar immediately, but Nicolle turtles out of it and gets half guard. Suloev strikes a little more and then backs off to let Nicolle stand back up.
They circle again and Suloev lands another hard combination, almost working another judo throw in as well before he lands a HUGE right hook, and I have no idea how Nicolle is still standing at this point. Nicolle is just eating vicious combinations from Suloev who is connecting with hooks, knees and a high kick. Nicolle is covering up fairly well but still taking a TON of punishment out of this and he's cut pretty badly. A hard body shot and a knee to the head from Suloev and the ref is looking closely at stopping this one. Nicolle tries to throw a punch but just ends up taking another hard right hook to the head.
Nicolle is really wobbly and he takes a HARD right hook to the jaw but keeps coming forward despite being a bloody mess. Suloev unleashes a MONSTER uppercut knocking Nicolle down and he follows it up with a hard left hand, looking to ground and pound to a finish. Nicolle tries for an armbar and almost catches it before Suloev stands up out of it and lands another great right hand. Nicolle tries a knee that misses and he's back to taking more punishment against the fence, eating a ton of punches. Rights and lefts from Suloev and he's got Nicolle pressed up against the cage right above the announce position. Suloev hits Nicolle so hard that blood spatters from his disaster of a face right onto Stephen Quadros' suit at cageside.
Nicolle throws a high kick that gets blocked and takes two more hard right hands to the face. Suloev is looking winded now from all the punches he's thrown, standing with his hands on his knees, bent over, before landing another HARD right hook. Nicolle looks like he's been hit by a train or something and now he has, holy SHIT, as Suloev hits the right hook again, square on the button, knocking Nicolle down and pretty much out. The only thing that saves Nicolle from being finished is the horn to end the first round.
The doctor and the ref take a look at Nicolle and they stop the fight because he is an absolute mess at this point.
Winner: Amar Suloev, Doctor's Stoppage at 5:00 of Round One
Match Nine: Welterweights
Dave Strasser (24-7) vs. Paul Daley (8-4-2)
Strasser comes into this fight on short notice as he was already training to fight someone else and just kept training after that fight to take this one. Daley is the explosive British striker with one of the best nicknames in all of MMA with “Semtex”. We'll see if he has the power to knock out the tough veteran Strasser in this one.
Round One
Strasser shoots right in but it gets stuffed by Daley, who eats a big overhand right that lands flush. Into the clinch against the cage and they trade weak knees before they seperate with Strasser throwing the overhand right again. A leg kick from Strasser and Daley responds with two of his own before Strasser throws another overhand right and rushes to clinch. They're up against the fence in the clinch and Strasser tries for a trip takedown but Daley manages to keep his feet. Daley pushes away and fires off a combination and takes the Thai clinch to land a couple of hard knees before throwing a head kick at Strasser. A few leg kicks land for Daley as well but there's not much on them.
Not much offense from either fighter at the moment and they end up back to the clinch against the cage with Daley landing a great Thai elbow and a hard knee as well. Another elbow/knee combo from Daley and Strasser is just covering up and hoping for a break, taking a lot of punches and kicks on his arms but still taking some serious damage from the ones that get through. A flying knee from Daley partially lands and they're back to the clinch with Daley grabbing the Thai clinch again, working hard knees to the body. Strasser has had enough of this and drops down for a single leg, getting it and taking Daley down, working into his half guard.
Daley controls and doesn't allow any strikes from Strasser while he's on top and after a period where Strasser tries for a kimura and lets it go and the striking slows to almost nothing, the ref stands them back up. They trade high kicks that both miss and the round finshes off there.
Round Two
Some tentative circling and they both flash jabs to start out with. Strasser with a leg kick that Daley comes over the top of with a big right hand. A leg kick/punch/high kick combo from Daley and Strasser clinches to protect himself, trying to throw a knee but ultimately falling against the fence. A chopping leg kick and another huge combination from Daley and Strasser looks hurt from those shots. Strasser tries for a desperation shot and misses it and they trade right hands that both miss. Some front kicks now from Strasser, though they look more like they're meant to keep Daley at bay rather than do any real damage. Daley hits another low kick and just misses with a high kick.
Daley hits a combination punctuated by a HARD body kick and Strasser has to resort to the clinch again. He gets a bodylock into a double leg for the takedown but Daley just explodes right out of it and they're back standing. Strasser shoots again for another takedown and gets it into Daley's half guard. Strasser working weak shots to the body and trying to pass but Daley gets it back to full guard before pushing Strasser off and standing back up. Strasser shoots for the double leg and Daley sprawls out of it before grabbing the Thai clinch and scoring with a number of knees, REALLY hurting Strasser with them.
A high kick from Daley gets blocked and Strasser shoots but Daley avoids it, leaving Strasser bent over at the waist with his hands on his knees, sucking wind. Strasser shoots again, seemingly his only offense, but Daley stuffs it, putting Strasser on his back and landing hard right hands from the half guard. Strasser reverses and puts Daley on his back but Daley rolls through for a couple more solid punches at the horn.
Round Three
Some circling to begin the final round and Daley is stalking Strasser down at this point, pushing him against the fence with a combination and a hard leg kick. Daley with another leg kick and a wicked high kick that lands fairly solidly to Strasser. Strasser with a REALLY sloppy takedown attempt that Daley avoids, responding with a nice flurry of punches both upstairs and down to the body. A high kick from Strasser gets mostly blocked and he rushes forward but doesn't really do anything. A leg kick and a one-two combination from Daley and Strasser is again reduced to sucking wind like he smokes a pack and a half a day and tried to climb a flight of stairs.
Straight right from Daley now and a high kick that JUST barely misses cracking Strasser in the head. A flying knee from Daley also misses but he gets another flurry of punches to land, working Strasser over against the fence before they circle out. They circle for quite some time before Daley finally throws another combo, and a couple more hard knees as Strasser shoots in for the bodylock. Strasser is just TOO TIRED and ends up somehow turning a bodylock into being on the bottom and mounted but he bucks out of it in short order and Daley lets him get back to his feet. Strasser shoots in again and gets a takedown.
Into Daley's half guard the fight goes, and Daley controls Strasser's head and holds him down until the referee has seen enough and stands them back up. Strasser front kicks again to keep Daley at bay but Daley hits a HARD high kick and another big flurry of punches at the horn to end the fight with a bang.
Total domination from Daley but full marks to Strasser for toughing it out since a lesser man would have easily been either KO'd or given up on his stool between rounds, but it was clear that Daley was in another league in this one.
Winner: Paul Daley, Unanimous Decision
Match Ten: Middleweights
Dave Menne (38-13-2) vs. Alex Reid (9-3-3)
Menne is the former UFC Middleweight Champion and is looking to make his way back to the top of the Middleweight class, while Reid is an up-and-coming Brit, looking to make a splash on the MMA world by beating a quality veteran opponent in Menne.
Round One
Menne hits a good body kick but Reid catches it and uses it to take him down. Menne works right back up to his feet and eats a knee from Reid to snatch a double leg and score the takedown against the fence, despite Reid's best efforts to thwart it by holding said fence. A Tony Fryklund vs. Anderson Silva graphic shows up on the screen and again I curse. Menne is in Reid's half guard now and is controlling one of Reid's arms before Reid pulls things back into full guard. Menne throwing bigger left hands and holding Reid down on the mat. And that's about the next two minutes worth of action or so.
Reid is unable to do anything from the bottom, striking, submissions, or even simply getting out to get the fight back to it's feet as Menne is just smothering him. Menne postures up a little and just keeps pounding out the short punches to Reid's head and body. The referee finally stands them up and Menne misses a big overhand right but just ends up shooting and taking Reid down again scoring a few more shots to the body and the head while controlling on the mat and that's it for the first round.
A slow round to be sure, but a dominant one for Menne. He should be glad that effort to finish the fight isn't a HUGE scoring criteria in the ten point must system because he would be in trouble since it was all offense from him, but with no real effort to finish.
Round Two
A wild exchange to start the second and they trade power shots with Menne getting the better of it with a left hand shot into a bodylock. Menne slams Reid down and takes control of top position again in Reid's guard. Reid closes up that guard completely but Menne is still landing smaller shots to the body and head until the referee stands them up again. Reid hits a good right hand but it's just the one punch and Menne shoots in and takes him down again. More ground and pound from the full guard of Reid by Menne and the referee stands them up again. They exchange with Reid landing a couple of shots including a front kick and a good right hand but Menne shuts it down and takes him down...AGAIN.
This is a carbon copy of round one almost with Menne on top, grinding away but not doing any significant damage with his punches. Reid on the bottom is getting bloodied though with a little cut above the eye and some blood coming from his nose. The ref stands them up again and Reid gets a knee to the body before the inevitable Menne takedown. Reid tries to push off of the fence to get out this time but he can't do it, and is down until the ref stands them back up. They trade knees from the clinch and Menne ducks under a front kick and gets another takedown. Menne is able to posture up this time and scores with some hard shots to end the round.
Second verse, same as the first, a little bit slower and a little bit worse. All Dave Menne thusfar, although I have to admit it's not exactly the most exciting fight in the world since Menne is a stud on the ground and Reid is a bit of a dud, but at least he's giving it a good effort.
Round Three
A slow, tentative start to the final round and they trade some leg kicks before Menne throws a punch and shoots behind it, pushing Reid up against the fence, but instead of giving up the takedown, Reid pushes off this time and throws a leg kick. Reid actually avoids a couple of Menne's takedown attempts, sprawling quite well out of one before he eats a right hand over the top and gets taken down again anyhow. The fight is in Reid's full guard now and there's really not a heck of a lot happening sadly and the crowd is starting to turn just a little bit. A hard leg kick from Reid and Reid actually stuffs another Menne attempt at a takedown.
He lands right hands after the stuff until Menne gets him up against the fence and takes him down. More ground and pound from Reid's full guard by Menne with not a lot on the punches, and Reid looks almost exasperated on the bottom, wanting the ref to stand things back up. The ref concurs and gets them standing and Reid lands a one-two, stuffing a Menne takedown and landing a hard knee before Menne tenaciously holds the single leg and gets him down to the mat again. Reid tries some hammerfists from the bottom but they're weak at best and the referee stands them back up. Another HARD one-two combination from Reid acutally stuns Menne in the closing seconds but Menne pushes forward and gets Reid in the bodylock, tripping him for the takedown as the horn goes to end the fight.
A dominant performance from Menne if this was a wrestling match, but this was an MMA match and as such it made for a pretty boring one. A little give and take on the ground or Menne even attempting to pass the guard on the mat would have made a world of difference in my enjoyment level.
Winner: Dave Menne, Unanimous Decision
Match Eleven: Main Event for the Cage Rage World Middleweight Championship
Tony Fryklund (11-6) vs. Anderson Silva (14-3-1)
Fryklund in the pre-fight package says he's been working on his judo and that he's been boxing with Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas and that he's going to keep his hands up and push the pace. Fryklund says he's going to test the chin of Silva and that this is the first fight in a while he's been 100% healthy with a full camp so he's excited to show what he can do.
Silva says he's done nothing differently training for this fight than any of his others and that he doesn't like guys that talk too much before the fight, making the analogy that he could say he was going to knock out Mike Tyson, but that doesn't mean that it's what is going to happen. He is supremely confident and ready to go.
Round One
Fryklund with a couple of leg kicks and a combination and Silva just absorbs them and waits to strike. Some circling now as Fryklund is circling to the left to avoid Anderson's power shots from the left side. Silva with a combination and a high kick that land and push Fryklund back against the cage. Another one-two and a body kick land for Silva before he throws a good high knee and takes the Thai clinch. He works some excellent knees to the body with the clinch and Fryklund, deciding he's had enough of that, pushes away hitting a glancing left hook before Silva scores with a HARD uppercut and a snapping leg kick.
A beautiful flying knee from Silva right up the middle stuns Fryklund a little and he hits another uppercut in the clinch and they seperate. They do some circling and OH MY GOD, Silva just destroys Fryklund with a devastating back elbow that knocks him stiff. I mean literally stiff as Fryklund's right arm is stuck out to his side and dragging on the mat as he tries to get up. Silva dance, dance, dances the night away afterwards and Quadros is convinced that that was something out of Ong Bak.
Just WOW. An absolutely beautiful KO strike from one of the most fluid and devastating strikers in MMA history. Silva had it in the bag the whole way and I think he knew it and was trying to give the people a show, and holy shit what a show it was. I love watching that knockout.
Winner: Anderson Silva, KO at 2:02 of Round One
And of course since I love watching that knockout I'm always willing to share with you, my loyal readers, so here's the fight in its entirety.
That gets better every time I see it, I swear.
We get Ian Freeman again thanking all of us for watching and imploring us to join him for the next event later that year before we get thrown to a pre-produced video package with Jason Barrett and Jeremy Bailey talking smack and riding around in fancy cars with loose women. I don't get the running of a video that hypes a fight that has already happened when this video could have been put in maybe two and a half hours ago when it would have been relevant to hyping the fight. To that end we now at the end of the DVD get all of the pre-fight interviews from the fighters with Stephen Quadros doing the interviewing. Huh? What an odd way to end the DVD that's for sure.
Well folks, that's it for this week and our trip across the pond to check out what Cage Rage had to offer for us. Nxt week there will be a special treat for you all as I review the seminal documentary on MMA, Choke, featuring Rickson Gracie and the 1995 World Vale Tudo Fighting Championship. So for now I'll say as always, in the meantime and in between time, I'll see you all next time for an all new edition of The Sprawl and Brawl Video Review. JERICHO FTW!!!
The 411: One great knockout does not a quality event make. While it's GREAT to see the stuff like the Silva elbow KO and the Barrett/Bailey nonsense, it doesn't make up for the fact that there were a lot of decisions on this card. Not the action-packed back and forth decisions, but LONG, grinding, incredibly BORING decisions. The technical issues with the wrong graphics coming up was a big thing for me too throughout. Hopefully they'll continue to improve as they release future DVDs.
