MOST EMPHATIC CELEBRATION

Kultar Gill, Super Fight League 3

So, you’re Indian-Canadian and you’ve just scored a round-one knockout at Super Fight League 3, taking a win in front of thousands of your Indian compatriots for the first time on home soil. What do you do? You go completely insane. After addressing the crowd in a gradually less reserved fashion, you eventually scream down the microphone, stamp your feet aggressively, throw down said microphone, embrace Phil Baroni, scream more, rip off your Muay Thai headband, run around the cage apron, knock over a camera man, and finally sprint out of the arena. You do if you’re 11-8 Kultar Gill anyway.

MOST EVENLY MATCHED

Gilbert Melendez vs Josh Thomson, Strikeforce: Barnett vs Cormier

Quite simply, Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez and former 155lb title holder Josh Thomson have fought 15 rounds (over three fights) and you couldn’t fit a sheet of paper between them. Blow for blow and takedown for takedown the pair are so evenly skilled that even the deciding rubber match at Strikeforce: Barnett vs Cormier in May, won by Melendez via close split decision, was controversial. Clearly this friendly rivalry must be decided outside of the MMA arena. Needlecraft, perhaps? Anyone? No?

GRIMMEST COMBINATION

Lavar Johnson, UFC on Fox 3

Three thunderous successive left-hook, right-uppercut combinations from hulking 253lb Lavar Johnson rattled the head of UFC heavyweight Pat Barry in the bluntest of ways at UFC on Fox 3. In the May fight’s first round, Barry, under fire and back to the cage, could only successfully cover up against a barrage of haymakers from Johnson, who has 15 (T)KOs on his record. Eventually, enough got through to drop the dazed kickboxer, and the fight was called off in Johnson’s favor at 4:38. Applause to Barry, though. Not only did he nearly get an americana finish earlier in the round, he took more Rocky-like punishment than most men can handle.

NIGHT OF THE ZOMBIE

Chan Sung Jung, UFC on Fuel 3

Mega props went to ‘The Korean Zombie’ Chan Sung Jung for the walkout music he selected before the near-finish-filled performance of his career at UFC on Fuel 3. Zombie by ‘90s Irish indie group The Cranberries was rapturously received by the Virginia crowd. Obviously lines like, ‘With their tanks and their bombs/And their bombs and their guns/In your head, in your head, they are crying,’ don’t really apply to a Korean mixed martial artist’s attempts at number-one contendership in the UFC featherweight division, but Jung probably selected it for the more applicable chorus line, ‘In your head, in your head/Zombie, zombie, zombie.’

TOO HOT TO HANDLE

Daniel Cormier, Strikeforce: Barnett vs Cormier

It’s official: Daniel Cormier is the hottest prospect in mixed martial arts. Nobody can dominate Pride and UFC veteran Josh Barnett (in Strikeforce in May), months after chalking a KO win over Fedor-beater ‘Bigfoot’ Silva, and not come away with the keys to their very own bandwagon. Cormier was simply too good for Barnett near enough everywhere: the former Olympic wrestler peppered Barnett in the stand-up and delivered brutal elbows on the ground. Full credit to the bloodied Barnett, however, who fought until the last and constantly hunted for the finish. If that bout was Cormier after three years of fighting, how good will he be in three more?

CRAZIEST EXCHANGES

Louis Gaudinot and John Lineker, UFC on Fox 3

You’re thinking it, we’re thinking it, everybody’s thinking it. Doesn’t Louis Gaudinot’s enormous Krusty The Klown-esque green mop prevent him from, you know, defending himself effectively? Well, only the TUF 14 graduate himself can answer that (although he has suggested chopping it). However, if it doesn’t stop him from throwing down like a redneck at a christening every time he steps in the Octagon, does it really matter? The answer is no. Gaudinot went absolutely hell for leather with talked-about Brazilian UFC debutant John Lineker at UFC on Fox 3, constantly engaging in flurries of reciprocated hooks. Choking Lineker into unconsciousness eventually got Gaudinot the win, but not before their tear-up brought the house down.

HUMBLEST IN DEFEAT

Andy Ogle, The Ultimate Fighter Live: Episode 11

Everyone’s TUF Live favorite, Andy Ogle, couldn’t have been more pleasant following his episode 11 knockout loss to Al Iaquinta. In fact, he was more respectful and prophetic in defeat than most are in victory. When asked by ever-dapper host Jon Anik for his thoughts on the loss Ogle replied: “Mate, it happens. Each dog has its day. It really hurts but everybody loses, everybody wins and it’s what you do after the loss. You’ve got to come back and I’ve got to show everybody what I’m made of. It’s a competition; there was only ever going to be one winner. I’m gutted it’s not me, what can I say?” Somebody give that guy a UFC contract.

HEAVIEST HIT

Mamed Khalidov, KSW 19

Holy moly did Mamed Khalidov deliver an express fist-shaped parcel of thunder direct to the melon of Rodney Wallace? One of the best middleweights in the world not plying his trade in the Octagon hunted down his UFC veteran opponent for a minute and 55 seconds at KSW 19 in Poland in May before hurling one enormous overhand right that cracked Wallace on the chin and put him out cold immediately. The head of Wallace, who was actually slowly circling away from Khalidov’s power hand, whipped back with the shot’s full force. Stunning.

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