UFC 123 Review
The UFC’s return to the state of Michigan was a successful one, as the main events delivered intrigue and excitement, while the five other fights scheduled for our viewing consumption came through as well. There were a lot of questions going into this event, and we have a bunch of answers in the aftermath.
This isn’t to take anything away from Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, who came out of Auburn Hills with a victory and a pair of potentially marketable title fights to be a part of in 2011. That being said, Lyoto Machida’s style was as responsible for Jackson’s win as his opponent was.
There are a lot of fighters who employ a counter-striking strategy, but Machida takes it to the nth degree, and it cost him on Saturday night. Though Jackson didn’t connect a great deal in the opening round, neither did Machida, which makes Jackson’s forward movement the deciding factor on the scorecards.
For Machida, this is something he will need to address moving forward or else risk the same situation repeating itself. While he will not change his style entirely, a return to the more aggressive approach he used against Thiago Silva and Rashad Evans is the only way to prevent this same thing from happening in his future fights.
A Change is Needed
Whether it is an expansion of the current scoring system, an increase in the number of judges sitting around the cage scoring the fights or bumping big-time fights like this to five-round affairs, a change in the way fights are judged is obviously needed.
Using the 10-point must system, “Rampage” rightfully won the fight; he was the aggressor in the first two rounds, and when there isn’t a lot of damage being done, that wins you the round. When there are only three rounds to determine the winner, earning a pair of uneventful rounds is enough to steal the fight.
While the main event was an example of why many fans favor the Pride scoring system of selecting a winner based on the fight as a whole, there are flaws in that system as well. Using a 20-point system could produce more representative scores (20-19 for close rounds, 20-16 for more one-sided rounds for example), but subjectivity still comes into play.
As always, there is no easy answer and no quick fix; progress is a process and change doesn’t happen overnight. That being said, many people agree that an investigation into improving things is necessary, because the current system is broken.
It only took 21 seconds, but it was enough time to show both the brilliant and frustrating side of B.J. Penn.
Walking to the cage, you could see the fighter coming to the cage wasn’t the same man who stood across from Frankie Edgar for 50 minutes earlier in the year. There was a hunger in his eyes, and he was in tremendous shape, all of which translated into a quick knockout of Matt Hughes in the culmination of their feud.
His fast finish of Hughes showed how talented and dominant a focused and motivated Penn can be, but at the same time, it illustrates all the frustrations people have about Penn as well. If he can come in and clobber Hughes in no time flat, why can’t “The Prodigy” get up for his fight with Georges St. Pierre or his pair of fights with Edgar?
If this is a true turning point for Penn, the next year could be incredibly entertaining, starting with a main event pairing with Jon Fitch in Australia. Only time will tell if Penn will maintain this focus moving forward. If he does, watch it.
Hughes Has Some Decisions to Make
The former welterweight champion was at a loss for words when Joe Rogan asked his thoughts on the fight and his future, and it made perfect sense. Hughes trained hard for this fight and was on a roll coming into the bout, but got finished in just 21 seconds, and now he has to figure out where he goes from here.
While Hughes could certainly fill a gatekeeper role in the division, there is a good chance the proud Hall of Famer wants no part of such a position. He’s been selective in accepting fights over the last few years, and being a stepping stone for emerging talents doesn’t sound like something that would interest him.
The problem for Hughes is that there aren’t really any compelling fights for him outside of a role like that; he’s either going to have to face the younger set that has been calling him out for some time or hang out in Hillsboro and transition out of being a fighter.
It’s a daunting decision and one that Hughes won’t make hastily.
Falcao Spoils Harris Showcase
No one told UFC newcomer that Gerald Harris was a fighter the UFC had some plans for in the middleweight division.
The Chute Boxe student came out hard and fast for the first two rounds of his debut bout, putting Harris in danger over the opening ten minutes before putting things on cruise control for the final frame en route to a unanimous decision victory. A former light heavyweight competitor, Falcao showed the power that has produced 21 TKO victories in his career, as well as the nasty streak the Curitiba, Brazil training center he represents in known for.
In the final moments of the first round, Falcao latched onto Harris’ neck with a rear naked choke. When the bell sounded to signal the end of the round, the Brazilian failed to release the hold, maintaining the choke even as referee Dan Miragliotta pushed him off his opponent.
With proven power and a highly-visible and dominant win in his debut, Falcao could be a fighter to watch in the 185-pound division in 2011.
“The Mr. Wonderful” is Born
Not only did Phil Davis manhandle Tim Boetsch on the way to his eighth-straight victory, but the impressive light heavyweight prospect also christened a new submission hold in the process.
The former Division I national champion showed his continually improving jiu jitsu skills, snatching Boetsch’s arm behind his back in what was almost a one-handed kimura. Talking with Joe Rogan after the win, the two officially named the hold “The Mr. Wonderful.”
Newly-minted submissions aside, Davis continued to show why many feel he will be a title contender in the future. His stand-up continues to improve and his ground game is already at a very high level, leaving Davis in a position to continue testing himself against tougher opponents each time out.
Sotiropoulos Solidifies Standing as Championship Contender
Lightweight contender George Sotiropoulos stretched his winning streak inside the Octagon to seven, submitting Joe Lauzon in the second round to solidify his position as a championship challenger heading into 2011.
For the third consecutive outing, Sotiropoulos earned a win over a quality opponent, adding Lauzon to a list that includes Kurt Pellegrino and Joe Stevenson, as well as a handful of former TUF cast members who have since departed the organization. But there is a rub.
The lightweight title is being defended in January, and the winner of the upcoming WEC lightweight title fight is already established as the next in line, which means Sotiropoulos is still a fight away from challenging for the title.
That bout will take place in his native Australia in February and is rumoured to be against Dennis Siver. Should he come through with an eighth consecutive win, there will be no real way to deny the TUF 6 alum a title shot in the spring.
Foster Impresses on Spike TV
Brian Foster may not be able to fly under the welterweight radar for very much longer after the H.I.T. Squad member earned a second-round submission victory over Matt Brown on the Spike TV portion of UFC 123.
The win moves Foster to 3-2 inside the Octagon, with each of his wins coming by way of stoppage, and positions him for a step back up the ladder in 2011. He’s rebounded well from the knee injury he sustained when Chris Lytle submitted him in Australia last February, and stopping a fan favorite like Brown can serve as a stepping stone moment for the 26-year-old Oklahoma native.
The division is extremely deep, so a trip up the ladder won’t be rapid, but if he keeps earning victories in impressive fashion like he did in Detroit, Foster will be seeing more high-profile opponents and opportunities placed before him next year.
Karo Parisyan’s return to the UFC was very short-lived, as the enigmatic Armenian was released following his stoppage loss to Dennis Hallman. UFC President Dana White spared no feelings in saying that Parisyan currently cannot compete at this level and needs to reassess his career moving forward.
With the instant release of Parisyan and the questions that accompanied the announcement, Hallman’s impressive finish has been a little overshadowed. The victory is his second straight and sixth in seven fights, with the lone loss coming five seconds before Hallman would have earned a unanimous decision win over John Howard.
The win puts an interesting possibility on the table for Hallman, who holds a pair of victories over Matt Hughes from much earlier in their careers. With Hallman on the way back up the ladder and Hughes being very selective about his opponents, perhaps a third attempt to earn a win over “Superman” is something the former welterweight champion would consider.
One Last Thought on Judging
Why is scoring a fight as a draw so taboo?
In the main event, the most reasonable outcome was actually a draw, with Jackson earning the first round, Machida earning the nod in the final frame, and the middle round being split down the middle. While the name of the scoring system is 10-point must, it doesn’t mean that only one fighter can be awarded a score of 10 in each round; if neither man really established themselves as the winner, hand out a pair of tens and move on.
As much as Octagon control and aggression are part of the scoring criteria, with a fighter like Machida it is incredibly difficult to ascertain who is actually dictating the pace and placement of the fight. Was Jackson stalking Machida around the cage, forcing him to back-pedal or was Machida circling out, causing Jackson to chase him around the Octagon as he looked for counter-striking opportunities?
When you can’t definitely answer that question – and you can’t – how can you say a fighter won a round based on those criteria?
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