« UFC 71 Open Discussion | Home | Sunday morning headlines: Post-UFC 71 media coverage »
UFC: Liddell vs. Jackson
By Erin | May 26, 2007
Well, well, Dan Henderson is announced as the challenger for whoever wins Liddell vs. Jackson. Which is cool, but having Rogan and Goldberg announce this almost pre-show? Kinda anti-climatic, isn’t it?
For fuck’s sake he holds TWO Pride belts and all he gets is a couple of clips at the very beginning of the show?
Chris Leben vs. Kalib Starnes
Leben is sporting the reverse Mayhem Miller hair (I think he was attacked by a spray paint can) and one huge-ass necklace. What in God’s name is that thing? Is he trying to out-do Rampage on the “bling†level?
Round 1: Starnes takes the fight into the fence with a clinch early before Leben gets it back to the center and both guys take turns with strikes. Leben goes for a high kick but slips in the process. Starnes goes in but Leben gets back up before Starnes does much. More stand up interspersed with moments of clinching until Starnes gets a takedown after Leben misses with a backfist. Starnes hangs out in Leben’s guard until a few seconds before the end of the round where he gets a handful of nice punches in.
Round 2: Basic stand up until Starnes gets a direct shot to Leben’s chin followed by a takedown into Leben’s guard. Starnes goes back to standing to try to pass, which lets Leben back up as well. Starnes clinches them up against the fence before they go back to mid ring for more standup.
Round 3: Lots ‘o stand up with Leben getting somewhat of an advantage. Starnes goes for a takedown but is too tried to really finish it off so it ends up with Leben in Starns’ guard. Leben moves to half guard before Starnes rolls the fight over. Starnes gets into Leben’s half guard where the two whack at each other as the round ends.
Holy shit, what is Mandy Moore doing in the crowd!? This isn’t exactly teeny-bopper approved entertainment. However, it’s less frightening than Paris Hilton.
Winner: Kalib Starnes by unanimous decision
Keith Jardine vs. Houston Alexander
Houston feels the need to practically assault his hat on his way to the ring. Lots of aggressive pointing which would work if I had any clue what the hat meant. Jardine, meanwhile, looks as serial killerish as ever.
Round 1: Jardine gets a good shot to Alexander’s chin which knocks him down for a second, but Alexander gets back up, delivering some nasty hits and knees until the ref pulls him off. Good grief, it really is the Year of the Upset.
Winner: Houston Alexander via Knockout
Ack, Criss Angel and his God-Awful Hair are in the audience. Get a proper haircut, man!
Terry Martin vs. Ivan Salaverry
Terry Martin comes out to “Billy Jeanâ€. He SO wins. If only every fighter would come out to fun music, sigh. And hello to Terry Martin’s Ass, you’re looking well tonight.
Round 1: Salaverry’s big on the inside kicks while Martin works the punches. They clinch up against the fence and Martin works toward Salaverry’s back. Martin gets the takedown and pounds on Salaverry’s head until the ref stops the fight.
Winner: Terry Martin via. TKO
Karo Parisyan vs. Josh Burkman
I love you Karo, but can we just fix the eyebrows? Just a bit? Please?
Round 1: The guys feel the need to do the “foreheads touching†staredown. Both guys are absolutely just throwing insane punches to start. Burkman goes for a body kick, which Parisyan snags and they end up clinched against the cage. Back to the center to exchange punches. Burkman gets a takedown and gets a couple of hits in as Parisyan is getting back up. As they get close to the cage Parisyan gets the judo throw and gets Burkman’s back. Back to standing, Burkman goes for a takedown and they end up against the fence with Parisyan getting working for a kimura as the round ends.
Everyone keeps talking about Karo’s great hips, which I know means that they are strong, but I keep associating that with “child bearing hipsâ€.
Round 2: Stand up with neither guy getting the advantage for the first couple minutes. Parisyan gets Burkman on the fence for a moment but Burkman gets off and back to the center of the cage. Pretty much mostly stand up for the while round with Burkman beginning to look tired at the end.
Round 3: Burkman backs Parisyan into the cage where Parisyan reverses it for a bit before Burkman gets the takedown. Karo wiggles around and gets the fight back up. Parisyan grabs Burkman’s wrist and flips him to the ground. Back to standing where Karo works for a takedown before backing off to the center of the ring. Burkman attempts another takedown but nothing comes of it.
Winner: Karo Parisyan via Unanimous Decision
Karo says he wants a title shot, but won’t get down on his knees for it. He does, however, do a pretty good job of begging for it. He follows this up by singing a song about his judo throws, which is so geeky that it’s awesome.
Din Thomas vs. Jeremy Stephens
Stephens apparently also got attacked by that malicious spray paint can. What is it with random color streaks?
Round 1: The fighters circle for a moment before Din goes in fast for the takedown. He lands in Stephens guard and then passes to side mount. Stephens moves Thomas back to full guard. Din moves back to side control and gets Stephens’ back and goes for a rear naked choke. Stephens manages to hold it off and eventually switches their positions and starts trying to drop some punches. Both guys are back to their feet as the round ends.
Round 2: Stephens goes for a powerful backfist but Din manages to avoid it. They exchange a few punches and leg kicks before Din goes for the takedown. They end up with Stephens in Din’s guard. From there Din grabs an arm and the ref calls the fight. Stephens denies tapping after the fight.
Winner: Din Thomas via arm-bar
Din declares himself “slick as a mother-fucker†and calls out a whole slew of boxers.
Oh yuck, no pimping of Eli Roth. I don’t care what people say, gross does not equal scary. And then we get the required scene of “wussy chick running from evilness stupidly†from Hostel 2.
Chuck Liddell vs. Rampage Jackson
Is Chuck limping again? Maybe he should get that looked at. Also, why describe someone as the “reigning and defending†champ? If they are defending wouldn’t one automatically assume that they are reigning?
Round 1: The fighters circle for the first few moments until Rampage gets a nice shot, knocking Liddell down. Rampage jumps on Liddell and drops punches and elbows until Big John calls the fights.
Winner: Rampage Jackson via Knockout
Good for Rampage. I love Chuck, but it’s nice to see things get mixed up every once and a while. Also, I think Rampage needs to do commentary on everyone’s matches.
Oh good, Henderson gets to come in the ring, which is much better than the random reference at the beginning of the show.
Wilson Gouveia vs. Carmelo Morrero
Round 1: Morrero goes for a takedown which Gouveia manages to avoid. Gouveia closes in with punches and a leg kick. Morrero goes for a takedown to avoid more punches. Back to standing for a second before Gouveia gets him down and into a guillotine. After a few seconds of trying to get out, Morrero taps.
Winner: Wilson Gouveia via Guillotine
Topics: Erin Bucknell, MMA, UFC | 12 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback |
Very fun event to watch.
Dan Henderson vs. Quinton Jackson should be a fun fight to watch. The unification of titles. Too bad in reality it is only determining he #2 best Light Heavyweight in the world.
My new Light Heavyweight Top 10
1. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
2. Quinton “Rampage” Jackson
3. Chuck Liddell
4. Dan Henderson
5. Wanderlei Silva
6. Rameau Sokoudjou
7. Tito Ortiz
8. Ricardo Arona
9. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
10. Rashad Evans
7 out of your top 10 are PRIDE guys? I sense the PRIDE vs. UFC debate resurfacing. 🙂
Can you have Quinton Jackson higher than Wanderlei Silva given that Silva twice beat him convincingly.
maybe Chuck should go back to fighting with injuries.
“Man’s got to know his limitations”
“7 out of your top 10 are PRIDE guys? I sense the PRIDE vs. UFC debate resurfacing.”
Hopefully you are making reference to how silly this debate is Zach. Or else I will forever be questioning your reporting.
Don’t make fun of Sherdoggers. 🙂
And yet people call me a UFC fanboy. Go figure.
Erin, very critical on this report, but definatley improving. When the Hendo/Jackson fight takes place will there be a new unified belt or will the new champ have to reneg the Pride belt?
Shogun
Henderson
Wanderlei
Rampage
Chuck
Sokoudjou
Arona
Rogerio
Tito
Rashad/Nakamura
Rampage is definatley higher then wanderlei. You forget he has changed trainers, and Wanderlei has taken some nasty beatings lately. I predict an A Whooping if those two got back into the ring together. And Shogun is not really that dominant. I dont see why he ranks so highly.
anybody have audio/video of karo singing??
The winner of Rampage-Henderson will hold both title belts according to Dana White at the post-fight presser.