ZERO TO HERO

Nate Marquardt, Strikeforce: Rockhold vs Kennedy

It wasn’t long ago MMA fans were pouring scorn over then-recent UFC evictee Nate Marquardt after it was revealed complications around his testosterone replacement therapy had eventually caused the canceling of a Marquardt-featured UFC main event. One fight and nearly 13 months later he’s become Strikeforce welterweight champion with a potential FO World MMA Awards ‘Knockout of the Year’ candidate. In contesting the vacant title with wrestler Tyron Woodley, ‘The Great’ landed a stunning movie-like triple-elbow, double-uppercut combo against the cage for the fourth-round stop. Who’d have thunk it?

MOST PROMISING STAR

Luke Rockhold, Strikeforce: Rockhold vs Kennedy

His dominant decision over Tim Kennedy at Strikeforce: Rockhold vs Kennedy meant American Kickboxing Academy’s Luke Rockhold both retained his 185lb title and punched his ticket to the division’s top 10. He’s undefeated in nine fights, won his Strikeforce strap from jiu-jitsu bad-ass ‘Jacare’ Souza and subsequently stopped former UFC regular Keith Jardine in one round, before now toppling Kennedy over five. Plus, the dude could be heard apologizing to referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy for grabbing the fence during the fight after the decision was called. It might not be long before people start wondering how he’d fare against UFC kingpin Anderson Silva.

WEIRDEST MOMENT

Can we say it? ‘Run, Forrest. Run!’ Eurgh, that felt dirty. Yes, most bizarre moment at UFC 148 is a toss-up between Forrest Griffin (again) jogging out of the Octagon following a fight (this time a decision win over Tito Ortiz, last time a KO defeat to Anderson Silva), and the Las Vegas resident then damping Ortiz’s final-fight fireworks by taking the mic off regular UFC interviewer Joe Rogan and quizzing ‘The People’s Champ’ post-fight himself. Life really is like a box of chocolates... or something.

MEXICAN ZOMBIE

Joey Beltran, UFC on Fuel 4

The penchant for punishment owned by Joey ‘Mexicutioner’ Beltran is no secret to anyone. The man has been swallowing solid strikes, just as he did in a losing effort against James Te Huna at UFC on Fuel 4, for his entire UFC career. Sound familiar? Yes, that’s right, Beltran’s punch-sponge characteristics eerily match those of cover star, and ‘Korean Zombie,’ Chan Sung Jung. For his freakish ability to take Kiwi slugger James Te Huna’s power punches for 15 minutes and dust himself off every time, we hereby officially dub Joey Beltran ‘The Mexican Zombie.’

BONUS DOLLAR IS ALL WE NEED

Lorenz Larkin, Strikeforce: Rockhold vs Kennedy

So, hands up if you thought Lorenz Larkin was going to plead for a UFC invitation when he got on his knees during his post-decision-win interview at Strikeforce: Rockhold vs Kennedy. Nope, instead, he chose his victory over respected veteran Robbie Lawler to beg for his fellow Strikeforce fighters to enjoy a similar ‘...of the Night’ bonus system as their Zuffa brothers in the UFC. Cool and pretty impressive though it was, instead declaring he’d actually discovered the long-sought-after Higgs boson would have really taken the cake. What can we say? We expect a lot of MMA athletes...

BEST BODY PUNCH

Chad Mendes, UFC 148

Give UFC featherweight Chad Mendes 31 seconds, Alaska scrapper Cody McKenzie’s torso and a long-trained right hand, and he’ll give you a first-round stoppage. After catching a McKenzie right leg kick, on the main card of UFC 148, Mendes ploughed a startlingly accurate straight right directly into the sensitive solar plexus to drop the unorthodox TUF graduate. A smattering of hammerfists later and Mendes had himself another clip for the highlight reel.

MOST DEBATED BOUT

Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen, UFC 148

Greasing, short pulling, illegal knees, inappropriate use of unicorns: the UFC 148 middleweight title bout between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen contained nearly every typical MMA point of contention. Even though it was short of a full house (a ‘bad’ judges’ decision or an early/late stoppage) fans and fighters were debating for days about whether Silva wiped his Vaseline from his face to his body, why Anderson didn’t lose a point for holding Sonnen’s shorts and if ‘The Spider’s second-round knee to a downed Chael contacted the chin or the chest? Even though, Sonnen (who lost via second-round TKO) refused to fuel the controversy, simply stating the best man won, this could be one title tilt that’ll always have an asterisk.

BIGGEST KNOCKOUT

Chris Weidman, UFC on Fuel 4

Bam! Standing elbow knockout. You don’t see many, but Chris Weidman managed one at UFC on Fuel 4 in San Jose. Of course the slew of unanswered blows that followed the belly-down Mark Munoz to the mat probably had something to do with the ‘Filipino Wrecking Machine’s state of near unconsciousness at the end of his second-round TKO loss, too. And as much as we love referee Josh Rosenthal here at FO HQ, the follow-up punches seemed to go on a little long – but then, there’s no third party closer to the details of the action than the third man himself.

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