Issue 065
August 2010
5
There was a lot of talk about Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ being Pat Barry’s idol. Pat regularly joked about wanting Cro Cop’s autograph and talked of having his poster on the wall when he was a kid – kind of funny because they are just five years apart in age. Cro Cop is 35 and Barry is 30.
2
We all know that Rich Franklin was victorious over Chuck Liddell despite suffering a broken left arm. Pat Barry started strong, but faded in rounds one and two. Many thought it was due to his adulation for Cro Cop, until it was learned that Pat suffered two broken body parts, his right foot and his right hand, both in the first round.
3
Number of fights at UFC 115 to be stopped in the third round. Mike Pyle, Carlos Condit, and Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic all scored stoppages in the final minute of their respective bouts. The last time a UFC event saw three stoppages in the third frame was UFC 110 in Sydney, Australia earlier this year...
31
To find another card with three stoppages in the third round we have to go all the way back to UFC 31 on May 4, 2001 when Matt Lindland won by DQ, Shonie Carter KO’d Matt Serra with a spinning back-fist, and Carlos Newton stopped Pat Miletich with a bulldog choke. This so-called hat trick of third-round stoppages was the first ever in the UFC.
2
Speaking of hats, two were swiped at UFC 115. Paulo Thiago lost his hat to a guy that looked like Tank Abbott’s little brother, and Ben Rothwell lost his beanie to a guy that was probably little Tank’s friend. There was almost a third nabbing, but Martin Kampmann slipped little Tank’s pawing left perfectly.
20
The British Columbia native Rory MacDonald is just 20 years old, making him the youngest fighter currently signed with the UFC.
7
Rory was just seven seconds away from going to a decision in front of his hometown crowd, a decision that many thought he would win since he most likely claimed the first two rounds.
10-1
The loss was Rory’s first and brought his record to 10-1. Despite the defeat he earned many new fans. It was just six years ago when, at the age of 14, Rory learned of Toshido Fighting Arts gym through his brother Ryan. He checked it out, fell in love and hung up his hockey stick. Good decision...
85,000
Good decision because he’s a great young fighter with an extra $85,000 in his pocket. Rory’s scrap with Carlos Condit was good enough for Fight of the Night honors and a robust $85,000 bonus.
THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF ANTONIO ‘MINOTAURO’ NOGUEIRA
A fighter revered for his tenures in Pride and the UFC, Antonio ‘Minotauro’ Nogueira’s career has been defined by his never-say-die attitude, iron chin and consistently exciting fights. Amazingly, his decade-plus fight history has never seen ‘Big Nog’ fight professionally in his home country of Brazil.
2000
Debuts at 23 years old and scores six wins before dropping a split decision to Dan Henderson in a tournament semifinal at Rings: King of Kings.
February 2001
Wins the same tournament the following year, beating Valentijn Overeem in the final inside one round.
November 2001
After submitting Mark Coleman less than a month prior, Big Nog decisions Heath Herring to win the first Pride heavyweight championship.
2002
Avenges his first loss to Dan Henderson with a third-round armbar.
March 2003
Pride 25: Loses title to Fedor Emelianenko by unanimous decision after suffering under the Russian’s relentless ground ‘n pound attack.
November 2003
With Fedor out due to injury, Big Nog submits ‘Cro Cop’ to win the Pride interim heavyweight title.
2004
Notches three wins in a row and rematches Fedor, only for the fight to end a no contest after an accidental cut. The second rematch in December ends with another unanimous decision for the Russian.
2006
Loses to Josh Barnett in the Pride Open Weight Grand Prix semifinals, but wins a rematch three months later.
2007
Makes his UFC debut; beats Heath Herring by decision after being dropped by a head kick in the first round.
February 2008
Comes from behind to beat Tim Sylvia by guillotine and become the only heavyweight to hold titles in both Pride and UFC.
December 2008
After coaching on TUF opposite Frank Mir, succumbs to second-round TKO at the hands of the American.
February 2010
Rises to a decision over Randy Couture in 2009, but suffers a knockout in a battle with Cain Velasquez in Sydney six months later.
