Issue 086

March 2012

3

Number of middle fingers flashed during the Nate Diaz vs Donald Cerrone grudge match at UFC 141. Cerrone gave Diaz the middle finger just before the fight, and Diaz returned the favor with the Diaz brothers’ patented double bird before the third round. Three one-fingered salutes in a bout has to be a record.

82.2%

Diaz blasted Cerrone to the tune of 82.2% of strikes landed in their three-round UFC 141 fight. Diaz connected on 258 of 314 strikes en route to a dominating victory. For Diaz, it was a great finish to a year that started off with two losses. 

78.2%

Current combined winning percentage of the three men to beat Brock Lesnar during his short-lived but exciting 5-3 MMA career. The most recent loss came against Alistair Overeem at UFC 141 when the 36-11 Reem decimated Lesnar’s body with knees and a liver kick. Lesnar’s other two losses came against 16-5 Frank Mir and 9-1 Cain Velasquez, both former UFC heavyweight champs. Now Overeem has a chance to earn the belt as well, against Junior dos Santos. 

16

Strikeforce champ Cris ‘Cyborg’ Santos needed just 16 seconds to defend her featherweight title against Hiroko Yamanaka, at Strikeforce: Melendez vs Masvidal. It was Santos’ first time in the cage in almost 18 months. Amazingly, it was only the second fastest fight on the card: Caros Fodor KO’d Justin Wilcox in just 13 seconds during the preliminary bouts.

3

Number of arms Frank Mir has broken in the UFC. ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira was the latest, before that it was Tim Sylvia having his forearm snapped in half courtesy of Mir at UFC 48. And, according to Frank, during his UFC debut at UFC 34 he broke Roberto Traven’s arm as well.

36

Number of UFC events between UFC 116 and UFC 140. Those two events featured submissions in the final two bouts on the card, whereas the 36 between them did not. At UFC 116 it was Chris Leben subbing Yoshihiro Akiyama with a triangle and then Brock Lesnar finishing Shane Carwin with an arm triangle. At UFC 140 it was Frank Mir breaking Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s arm with a kimura, and Jon Jones putting Lyoto Machida to sleep with a standing guillotine.

4

UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones won four bouts during 2011. And in those four fights he won ‘Submission of the Night’, won the belt and then earned two ‘Fight of the Night’ checks against some amazing fighters…

85.1%

Prior to their respective fights with Jones, the four guys Jones beat in 2011 had a combined winning percentage of 85.1%. Ryan Bader was 12-0, Mauricio Rua was 19-4, Quinton Jackson was 32-8, and Lyoto Machida was 17-2. All are former champions except Bader. Quite an amazing run for a 24-year-old.

9

Number of fights in a row in which welterweight contender Jon Fitch had fought to the final bell, going 7-1-1. At UFC 141, though, Johny Hendricks made sure there would be no decision. He dropped Fitch with a big left and stopped him in just 12 seconds. It was Hendricks’ third win in 2011, putting him on the doorstep of a title shot.

The Highs and Lows of RICH FRANKLIN

Once a high school math teacher, Rich Franklin is better known as a UFC fighter and former middleweight champion, though he could also quite easily be mistaken for actor Jim Carrey. His resemblance to the Hollywood funnyman even earned him his nickname, ‘Ace’, after the actor’s character, Ace Ventura. With his well-rounded skillset and exceptional work ethic, Franklin has plenty of highs and lows in more than a few weight divisions.

1999

Bursts on to the professional MMA scene with two impressive stoppage victories and a combined fight time of less than two minutes.

JANUARY 2001

Fights for the IFC light heavyweight championship, but the bout is ruled a no contest when his opponent suffers a foot injury in the first round.

APRIL 2003

Makes his UFC debut against future UFC champion Evan Tanner. Despite Tanner being the far more experienced fighter, with over twice as many pro fights as Ace, Franklin wins by TKO at 2:40 of round one

DECEMBER 2003

After going unbeaten in 15 pro fights, Franklin suffers his first loss at the hands of another future UFC belt holder, Lyoto Machida.

2005

Defeats MMA legend Ken Shamrock, earning him a second match with Evan Tanner and a shot at his UFC middleweight championship. In an exciting back-and-forth battle, Franklin wins by doctor stoppage in the fourth round to claim the gold.

MARCH 2006

Having built an incredible record of 21-1-1, with all of his wins coming by either knockout or submission, Rich successfully defends his title against David Loiseau, going the distance for the first time in his career.

OCTOBER 2006

Faces Anderson Silva in his third title defense. Loses the championship after Silva dominates Franklin with his technically superior standup en route to a brutal KO finish.

2007

Puts together a string of victories against Jason MacDonald and Yushin Okami before once again fighting for the title against Anderson Silva. Is beaten soundly by Silva, barely making it out of the first round before being stopped in the second. 

SEPTEMBER 2008

Beats TUF season four winner Travis Lutter in his last middleweight bout to date. Later moves up to 205lb, TKO’ing Matt Hamill with a solid kick to the body.  

JUNE 2009

Takes on ‘The Axe Murderer’ Wanderlei Silva at a catchweight of 195lb, getting the unanimous decision victory, only his third decision win in 27 pro fights. Pockets an extra $60,000 with his first ‘Fight of the Night’ bonus.

2010

After stepping in to replace an injured Tito Ortiz as coach on season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter, Rich battles fellow coach Chuck Liddell at UFC 115, KO’ing ‘The Iceman’ and winning ‘Knockout of the Night’. Liddell announces his retirement later that year.

2011

Returns to the Octagon at UFC 126 to fight Forrest Griffin after an eight-month absence due to a broken arm, losing to Griffin via decision. Currently nursing a shoulder injury, Franklin is expected to return to competition this summer.