Issue 055
October 2009
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.
Biggest KO
Dan Hornbuckle vs Akihiro Gono
Unheralded American fighter Dan Hornbuckle may have had an impressive 17-2 record going into this fight but he was still the underdog against the veteran Gono. Hornbuckle didn’t let the crafty Japanese fighter intimidate him with his strange fighting style, and bided his time before unleashing a hellish kick to the face that saw Gono removed from the ring on a stretcher. A definite highlight-reel moment.
Closest Fight
Jeff Curran vs Takeya Mizugaki
It’s a tough job judging an MMA fight, especially one as close as this. They fought on their feet and on the ground, with Curran landing good kicks and throwing up some tight submission attempts and Mizugaki landing excellent punches and scoring good takedowns. The Japanese fighter scored the win by the closest of split decisions, proving the WEC’s 135lb division is absolutely stacked with talent.
Ballsiest Performance
Kazuo Misaki
Kazuo Misaki’s choking of Kazuhiro Nakamura was impressive enough. The light-footed Japanese fighter stunned Nakamura with a perfectly-timed flying knee before putting him to sleep with a guillotine choke, but what made it all the more special was the fact Misaki had to suck up the effects of two low blows inside a minute and a half of action. Ballsy.
Biggest Upset
Brian Bowles vs Miguel Torres
There are few easy fights when you’re champion, and Miguel Torres is the kind of guy who would turn down an easy opponent even if he was offered one. Brian Bowles was the lesser fighter on paper with a mere seven wins to his name (Torres could boast over four times as many contests on his resume). That’s why it was so shocking to see Bowles lay waste to Torres’ title reign, dispatching the champ inside the first round.
Most Masterful Performance
Anderson Silva
Fans and insiders alike expected this to be Silva’s toughest test in a long time. Forrest Griffin was supposed to be the guy to give Silva a good scrap, but he couldn’t even make it out of the first round. Silva’s mastery of fighting makes him one of the greatest fighters to have ever stepped into the Octagon – could he be Bruce Lee reincarnated?
Tightest Shorts
BJ Penn
BJ Penn must be extra proud of his all-new buns of steel, as he opted for the first time since his very early fights to go for the hip-hugging, GSP-style trunks rather than the Hawaiian-style board shorts. All that strength and conditioning paid off, as he even flashed his abs after the win.
Best Submission
BJ Penn
Kenny Florian brought his A-game in his attempt on BJ Penn’s lightweight title, but it just wasn’t enough. Penn’s hold on his title was as tight as the fourth-round choke around Florian’s neck.
Most Controversial Stoppage
Johnny Hendricks vs Amir Sadollah
Big Dan Miragliotta has come under fire for his controversial stoppages before, but this one really caught him some flak. The New Jersey native dived in to stop Johnny Hendricks from uppercutting Amir Sadollah’s head off after only 29 seconds. Sadollah becomes only the second TUF winner to lose his first ‘proper’ fight in the UFC (the other was Joe Stevenson).
Sneakiest Nap
Leonard Garcia
When Texan boxer-grappler Garcia got caught in Jameel Massouh’s Darce choke midway through the second round, he obviously didn’t feel like tapping. Garcia tried everything to get out of it, even getting to his feet, but Massouh kept it on and for a moment there, it looked like Garcia sagged to his knees and went limp. Massouh gave up the choke and spun to his back, and by the time he got there Garcia looked to have woken up again. Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase, ‘asleep on the job’.
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