GUESS WHO'S BACK

Shogun’ Rua, UFC 134

The doubters got to see what an in-shape ‘Shogun’ Rua can do at UFC 134 in Rio. The Brazilian former UFC light heavyweight champion was intent on stopping Forrest Griffin in front of the partisan crowd. Not only to atone for his utter dismantling at the hands of Jon Jones a few months earlier, but to make good his surprise submission to Forrest Griffin way back at UFC 76. Rua applied the pressure to the always-game Forrest from the off in Brazil and put the American away with a combination and some ferocious ground ‘n’ pound at 1:53 of the first round. If the UFC’s return to Japan also meant a revitalizing of the grounded kick and knee strikes from Pride, Shogun fan boys would be salivating.

INJURY? WHAT INJURY?

Alan Belcher, UFC Fight Night 25

Thanks to surgery after suffering a detached retina, there was a time when Alan Belcher didn’t think he’d ever fight again. So to return to the UFC after 16 months out and to win with a first-round stoppage is pretty remarkable by anyone’s standards. The Mississippi native routed Jason MacDonald at UFC Fight Night 25 in New Orleans with blows from inside the Canadian’s guard, and the knee ride, so powerful they forced MacDonald to verbally submit. Just a simple reminder of how destructive an on-form Alan Belcher can be. Prior to his injury, the middleweight had put together back-to-back demolitions of Ed Herman and Patrick Cote in the process of trying to convince people he could give Anderson Silva a run for his money. With more performances like that he’ll soon be preaching to the converted.

SIMON SAYS CELEBRATE

Rousimar Palhares, UFC 134

No fighter has ever had more issue with fight endings than Rousimar Palhares. The stocky Brazilian middleweight has been called a dirty fighter after ignoring tapouts and wrenching damaging submissions until the referee physically intervenes, labeled a whiner after turning to the referee mid fight to accuse his foe of greasing (and promptly being knocked out). At UFC 134 in Rio, Palhares pulled his best one yet. Against Dan Miller, ‘Toquinho’ opted to stop his own fight mid ground ‘n’ pound flurry and officially declare himself the winner by jumping on the cage to celebrate. Only problem, match official Herb Dean hadn’t ended the bout. A red-faced Palhares rejoined the fight soon after (stunningly, he was nearly knocked out seconds later) and took the decision. Only in MMA.

BEST BOXING

Daniel Cormier, Strikeforce: Barnett vs Kharitonov

If we said to you, fighter A had a 10-inch reach advantage over fighter B, who would you predict to emerge the victor in stand-up exchanges? If you said fighter A, former Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier enjoyed proving you very, very wrong at Strikeforce: Barnett vs Kharitonov. The undefeated five-foot-eleven heavyweight picked the Fedor-destroying ‘Bigfoot’ Silva apart with his AKA-honed boxing, despite the stunning 25cm reach disadvantage. Cormier, 9-0 and now a heavyweight grand prix finalist, dropped Silva seemingly with ease and looked unperturbed by his opponent’s physical advantages. Before four minutes were up, Bigfoot was knocked out. Cormier might look like a teddy bear, but he hits like a truck.

KICK OUT THE JAMS

Maximo Blanco, Strikeforce: Barnett vs Kharitonov

If Maximo Blanco was nervous before his Strikeforce debut, and his first fight on Western soil, his Street Fighter-esque kick combinations hid it well. Against late replacement Pat Healy at Strikeforce: Barnett vs Kharitonov the former Sengoku and Pancrase stand-out laid on spinning back kicks, reverse round houses and side kicks. The Venezuelan eventually came up short against his American opponent, tapping to a rear naked choke in round two, but not before landing an astonishing 67 strikes (a 53% success rate) to Healy’s 35. And where did you hear about him first? Fighters Only’s Junior Dos Santos cover issue way back at the start of the year. Never say we don’t give you anything.

MOST UNUSUAL KNOCKOUT

Jordan Mein, Strikeforce: Barnett vs Kharitonov

Pure UFC fans might rave about young Rory MacDonald, but those who keep an eye on the world’s second-tier organization are a flutter over Jordan Mein. The 21-year-old Canadian got a call up to Strikeforce after a 22-7 local promotion record including wins over veteran welterweights Joe Riggs, Josh Burkman and Marius Zaromskis. And his first big-leagues test over the terrifyingly destructive Evangelista ‘Cyborg’ Santos, ended with him pummeling a worn Santos against the cage with a bizarre storm of standing elbows. Mein had a reply for every one of Cyborg’s combinations (aside from his painful leg kicks) and made good use of his switch southpaw stance in the second and third, burrowing through the Brazilian’s offense and defense with a heavy straight left. Way to make an impression.

BEST KNOCKOUT

Pat Curran, Bellator 48

So, 2011 is the year of the knockout or something. From comebacks to crane kicks, fighters have been dropping each other almost as fast as Chael Sonnen whips out immortal one-liners. Quite possibly one of the best has to be Pat Curran’s crushing head kick on Brazilian headhunter Marlon Sandro. The previously unstopped Sandro, one-time the Sengoku featherweight belt holder, toppled to his back Nate Quarry style after some enthusiastic head movement gave Curran’s heavy right foot the chance to meet the Rio native’s cranium. The shot netted Curran the Bellator featherweight tournament to match the same in 2010’s 155lb class. Not bad for a three-year career.

BIGGEST UPSET

Luke Rockhold over ‘Jacare’ Souza, Strikeforce: Barnett vs Kharitonov

And a star is born. For many fans, Luke Rockhold came out of nowhere to edge a decision against ‘Jacare’ Souza and take the Strikeforce middleweight belt from the world champion jiu-jitsu practitioner. Only 19 months earlier, in his last scrap, Rockhold was a mid-card attraction on Strikeforce’s Challengers series – albeit an attraction with a stunning seven first-round stoppage wins. At Strikeforce: Barnett vs Kharitonov, an aggressive stand-up game with strong takedown defense saw the now 8-1 AKA product take the decision, despite being dropped on a handful of occasions thanks to Souza’s improved hands. All aboard the bandwagon!

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