Fighters Only

Issue 054

September 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.

Best Game Plan

Georges St Pierre

GSP played it smart and safe against Alves. The powerful challenger looked dangerous but the Canadian put in a classy and clinical performance to outpoint him in every round.

Toughest Old Bastard

Mark Coleman

44 years old and still going strong, Coleman proved he has still got the goods with a unanimous decision over Stephan Bonnar. Inspiring.

Nastiest Ground ‘n Pound

Brock Lesnar

He’s one big mofo, that Brock Lesnar. With his quadruple-XL, ham-hock fists, he’s broken Heath Herring’s orbital bone, KO’d Randy Couture, and now pummeled Frank Mir into a bloody pulp. He’s the last person you would want on top of you –unless you’re his wife. But even then…

Most Promising Youngster

Jon Jones

Here at FO, we’re big fans of Jon ‘Bones’ Jones. His all-action style gets us going every single time he gets in the Octagon. In his latest outing (in which he scored a second-round submission win over Jake O’Brien) he looked like a young Anderson Silva; brilliant footwork, spinning kicks, spinning elbows and flying knees. This guy is gonna be huge.

Biggest KO

Dan Henderson

Henderson’s right hand is legendary, and its status as one of the most fearsome weapons in MMA was cemented once more with his pinpoint knockout of Michael Bisping. Scarier than the decisive overhand right was the follow-up, a diving forearm that landed squarely on Bisping’s chin. Powerful stuff.

Most Unusual Corner Advice

Greg Jackson

When GSP returned to his corner after the third round, he told his team he had torn his groin. Greg Jackson’s response: “Hit him with it!”

Funniest Post-Fight Speech

Brock Lesnar

Hyped up and high on adrenaline following his biggest ever win, Lesnar told the thousands of fans (and many, many millions more watching from home) he was going home to drink the beer of the rival to the UFC’s main sponsor, and would likely “get on top of” his wife. Ten points for bravery, ten points for humor, minus 20 points for pissing off Dana White.

Shibboleth of the Month

Tom Lawler

Shibboleth is a word that can refer to an “in-crowd” word or phrase that identifies speakers as members of a particular group or subculture. Tom Lawler sent a message to hardcore MMA fans everywhere by painting massive white letters on his torso to spell out ‘Just Bleed’, referring to the popular internet meme ‘The Ultimate UFC Fan’, proving he is a geek as well as a fighter.