There's a lot I could say about what happened tonight, but it wouldn't do it justice. While overall, the card itself wasn't spectacular, we all learned something important........Jon Jones is not over hyped.
9 THINGS I LEARNED FROM UFC 135 (Cause I didn't learn 10)
1. Jone "Bones" Jones is not only the future of MMA. He's the present, and apparently what ever else he wants to be. The sky is the limit for this kid.
2. You should not let Heavyweights fight in high altitude. Really Joe Silva?
3. Nate Diaz has black belt level Jiu-Jitsu. I'm not sure why he still has a brown belt.
4. If you're already in the UFC hall of fame, and you're still fighting, its probably about time you retire.
5. TUF winners are not what they used to be. These guys come out gunning right from the beginning.
6. Despite the loss, Ben Rothwell is a tough dude. He was exhausted and taking a beating, but he still answered the bell in the third round.
7. Josh Koscheck is not a bad guy. He just plays the part very well. He was gracious and thankful after his win.
8. I like the idea of a "Rampage" vs. "Shogun" rematch in Japan. I hope Dana White makes it happen.
9. Apparently, Rashad Evans and Jon Jones really don't like eachother. I thought it was all an act, but the animosity was palpable.
I guess the betting odds are here to stay! I got a great reaction from the new format, so thanks everyone for the support. Considering that I picked a huge long shot in "Rampage" Jackson, I think I did pretty well overall in my picks. For those of you that weren't paying attention, I went 5 for 7 on the night.
RESULTS
Tim Boetsch def Nick Ring by Unanimous Decision
Boetsch had a lot of hype coming into this fight. He was fighting for only the second time at Middleweight and was expected to buzz saw through Nick Ring. Although he won, he was less than impressive. I will say that his defensive boxing looked really good. He had great head movement and did what he could against an opponent who wouldn't engage half the time. Even so, he's going to need to do a lot more before he can be considered a top contender at 185lbs.
Tony Ferguson def Aaron Riley by TKO in Rd 1 (Doctor's Stoppage)
I'm gonna make this one quick. Ferguson came, he saw, he broke another man's jaw. Enough said.
Nate Diaz def Takanori Gomi by Submission in Rd 1 (Armbar)
Can anyone tell me why Nate Diaz is still a BJJ brown belt. I'm honestly not sure whether Gomi is a blackbelt in anything, but Diaz has made it a habit of submitting BJJ blackbelts on the regular. Not only that, his boxing looked crisp and on point. As much as I love Gomi, I just don't know if he can compete with the upper echilon of fighters, especially in the Lightweight division.
Travis Browne def Rob Broughton by Unanimous Decision
Remember when I said that heavyweights shouldn't fight in high altitude? This fight is a good example why. Browne looked really good in the first round as he was able to bounce around and dictate the pace of the fight. Everything after that was sloppy at best. What was really surprising was how easily Browne was able to take Broughton down. Broughton was considered the grappling specialist going in to the fight, but he wasn't able to use any offensive grappling other than a lackluster kimura attempt. Browne looked good, but far from impressive.
Mark Hunt def Ben Rothwell by Unanimous Decision
I have to applaud the heart of Ben Rothwell. There are very few men that would answer the bell in the 3rd round after having to be picked up by their trainers and walked to their corner at the end of the 2nd. Mark Hunt looked like he's been working hard to develop a complete MMA game. Striking is still his forte, but it seems as though his work at ATT has helped to round out his game. By no means is he elite, but he still has some fight in him.
(This was a big night for Samoans as both Mark Hunt and James Te-Huna delivered big wins)
Josh Koscheck def Matt Hughes by TKO in Rd 1
For the first four minutes of the first round, it seemed as though Matt Hughes would pull off the upset. His boxing looked crisp and he was able to hit Koscheck repeatedly in that damaged eye. All it took was 30 seconds for Kos to turn it around. Matt Hughes will forever be remembered as a legend and one of the guys responsible for building the UFC in to what it is today. It's unfortunate that he had to go out the way he did, but its for the best. What was surprising was how gracious Josh Koscheck was even after the big win.
Jon Jones def Quentin Jackson by Submission in Rd 4 (Rear Naked Choke)
I don't think there's anything left to say about Jon Jones. He may very well be knocking on the door of unbeatable. I'm sure the next few weeks will be littered with rumors of super fights with Anderson Silva or Cain Velasquez. For now, he's undoubtedly the best Lightheavyweight Mixed Martial Artist in the entire world. There's no doubt about that. How good will he get? We'll have to wait and see.
All in all, I give UFC 135 a C+. Some excitement....Some good finishes.... But it could have been better.
KO of the night: Josh Koscheck
Submission of the night : Nate Diaz
Fight of the Night: Jon Jones vs. Quentin Jackson
I really hope everyone enjoyed the betting odds being added in with the predictions. For anyone who took my advice and lost, sorry about that, better luck next time. That's why they call it gambling!
I'm going to do my best to try and find the videos for at least the main card fights and post them up tomorrow.
Don't forget that the finals for the ADCC are tomorrow. If you're not doing anything and can pry your eyes away from football for a few minutes, it should be a treat. (FYI, I picked almost every single winner in the first two rounds)
The next few weeks are stacked with events so keep reading, and I'll keep doing what I do.
(Check out my buddies' blog if you get a second. If you're a fan of MMA, which I'm sure you are, I promise you'll enjoy it. Some support never hurts! Check it out at: www.mmabadass.com)
(Just FYI, I actually don't know him....I just lost a bet. But check the site out anyway.....It's not half bad)
Very Good,Alex...
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