Issue 060

March 2010

With so many events taking place around the world it’s impossible to feature them all, but here is our selection of outstanding moments from recent action.

Most Unorthodox Submission

Cole Miller’s inverted triangle, UFC 108

Inverted or upside-down triangle chokes seem to capture the attention – Toby Imada’s won the most recent Submission of the Year, and Cole Miller’s upside-down triangle / kimura combination on Dan Lauzon saw the American Top Team fighter walk off with a $50,000 Tapout of the Night award at UFC 108. 

Best Comeback

Cole Miller, UFC 108

Miller didn’t even remember getting dropped by Dan Lauzon, and instinctively carried on fighting. Only when he saw the replay did he realize how hard he had been hit (and how close he had come to losing), making his submission win all the more impressive. 

Best ‘Debut’

Brad Pickett, WEC 45

Brad ‘One Punch’ Pickett is no newcomer to fighting, but his fight with Kyle Dietz at WEC 45 was his first for a major organization in the States. The teammate of former WEC champ Mike Brown made a splash by choking out Dietz with a rarely-seen submission called the Peruvian necktie.

Best Return to Form 

Martin Kampmann, UFC 108

With his clinical striking and slick grappling, Martin Kampmann’s name has always been considered high among the welterweight rankings, which is why it was a surprise to many to see him beaten so easily by Paul Daley. Daley’s power was a bit of a mystery then, but Kampmann needed to prove he’s still among the best in the UFC and he did just that with a tight guillotine choke of Jacob Volkmann.  

Biggest KO

Paul Daley vs Dustin Hazelett, UFC 108

British brawler Paul Daley’s left hook is a dangerous, dangerous weapon. Considering his nickname of Semtex, it’s a wonder he can get it through customs.  

Most Bizarre Maneuver

Chris Horodecki, WEC 45

You could have said Canadian kickboxer Chris Horodecki would be kicking himself after getting caught off-guard in his WEC debut, but Anthony Njokuani did that for him. Njokuani blasted his opponent in the head with a high kick midway through the first round as Horodecki bizarrely turned and half-began to run away. What he was thinking we’ll never know – considering the number of brain cells he probably lost after the kick, we doubt he’ll remember either.  

Best Ring Entrance

Rashad Evans, UFC 108

At one time, Greg Jackson’s fighters were known for a strange pre-fight ritual that saw them tweak their nipples. Jackson branded them a bunch of “dorks” and that was the last we saw of that, but was a new ritual on display prior to Rashad Evan’s fight with Thiago Silva at UFC 108? Evans bounded up the Octagon stairs and across the mat in a crouching run on all-fours, which looked suspiciously like a monkey impression. Please, please, please let this be the start of a new theme of entrances for the Jackson crew!  

Biggest KO (runner-up)

Junior Dos Santos, UFC 108

Tipped as the next big thing to come out of Brazil, Dos Santos dropped the feared Dutch bad boy Gilbert Yvel with a classic right to the body and left-hook combination.  

Most Impressive Wrestling 

Rashad Evans, UFC 108

It was the perfect time to return to his champion wrestler roots – coming off a KO loss, and in with a fighter known for his heavy hands and KO power. Evans showed how effective quick combinations and varied wrestling attacks can be, attempting a total of 16 takedowns, achieving eight and landing two big slams in the three-round fight.