WOW! What a fight!! What else can be said about the megafight that took place between Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell and Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva at UFC 79?
This was a fight 6 years in the making. It seems so long ago now when there existed two MMA superpowers UFC and Pride. At that time there also existed two of the most dominant 205 pound fighters in the world in the UFC's Chuck Liddell and Pride's Wanderlei Silva. With Pride fans claiming Silva to be the best 205 pound fighter in the world and UFC fans giving that title to Liddell, the question of who would win in a fight between the two desperately needed to be answered.
It had been the topic of many heated discussions between MMA fans and several attempts were made to answer that very question. One attempt in 2003 saw the UFC send Chuck Liddell to Japan to fight in Pride's Grand Prix Tournament in hopes that he would face Silva in the finals. Chuck was on his way to doing just that after knocking out Alistair Overeem in the quarterfinals. But Liddell ran into a roadblock in the form of current UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson. Liddell ended up losing that semi-final matchup by TKO and the dream fight had been scrapped. Jackson went on to lose to Silva in the final.
Then in 2006 during the Shamrock-Ortiz II event, Dana White brought out Wanderlei Silva and announced a fight between him and Liddell inside the Octagon. But the deal to bring Silva over to the UFC fell through and, once again, the Liddell-Silva fight had been shelved.
In 2007, there appeared to be some light at the end of the tunnel for fight fans. Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC bought out the financially troubled Pride FC organization. Along with the organization, Zuffa took over the existing Pride fighter contracts. Meaning, yes, Wanderlei could very well make an appearance inside the Octagon. The UFC signed him to a four fight deal and BAM! the fight of the decade was a mere formality. The fight was a done deal as long as Liddell could get past "The Dean of Mean" Keith Jardine.
No problem, right?
Wrong.
Liddell would put on a mediocre performance against Jardine en route to a 3 round split decision loss. The fight world was shocked! It had seemed as though the megafight was destined to exist only in our dreams and the question of who was the best 205 pound fighter would never be answered.
But what the fans want, the fans get. There isn't a single fight fan who cared whether or not Liddell won or lost to Jardine. We all wanted to see a fight between Liddell and Silva, win or lose. Since it was still very possible to hold this fight, the UFC decided it was now or never for this fight.
The fight that everyone had been waiting so long for was now a reality.
Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell vs. Wanderlei "The Axe Murderer" Silva was on!
I got out of my chair the second Wanderlei was shown on screen walking out to the Octagon; I never sat back down. I could barely contain myself, as I'm sure most fight fans watching were doing the same. There was also that nagging idea in the back of my mind that this fight might not live up to the surreal expectations put upon it after years of hype. Luckily, that idea was shattered early as this fight was as explosive as anyone could have possibly imagined.
The first minute or so saw the fighters circling eachother with neither man engaging in anything significant in what was a show of respect by both fighters for eachother's knockout power. I could tell right away that this was a different Chuck Liddell, as Liddell demonstrated early on a tactic that he hasn't used in a long time and should use more often; kicks. Liddell threw several leg kicks early on to keep Silva at bay but the two soon engaged in battle.
Silva began swinging for the fences and landed several nice shots on Liddell, with Liddell returning the favor. Near the midway point of the first round, Liddell dazed Silva with a jab/right combination that backed the brazilian into the cage. Liddell would rush in only to get drilled by a few shots from Silva. The two exchanged bombs for the rest of the round.
The second round saw Silva charge out and begin firing with Liddell again returning the favour. Liddell would slip on the canvas but pop back up to exchange some more, but a right hand from Silva sent Liddell to the mat, in what looked like another slip, but hard to tell. Liddell would get right back to his feet, however. The two would then clinch against the fence in what I thought would be a bad spot for Liddell. Liddell proved me wrong by getting the better of that battle by landing two big elbows that cut Silva above the eye. After breaking away, the two exchanged again and clinched again. This time, we saw something that we very rarely see from Chuck Liddell; a takedown. Liddell would put Silva on his back and remained there until the round ended shortly after.
The third saw Silva again march forward, bruised and bloodied like a pure warrior. Liddell again shocked the crowd by shooting in for a takedown! He put Silva on his back only briefly, in what I perceived to be a tactic to ensure a points victory. With the points for the takedown, Liddell was then comfortable about fighting out the rest of the round. Liddell had thrown everything including the kitchen sink at Silva but Silva would not be knocked down and would not give up. Both men landed some very heavy shots, Liddell landing some big bombs that would have put most men to sleep, but not Silva. Silva proved to be somewhat of a freak in that respect. Liddell has knocked out many men with far less than what he was handing out to Silva, but Silva proved to be one hell of a competitor. Silva, too, landed some major shots that would have dropped a lesser man. Liddell, displaying his versatility, landed a spinning backfist that backpedalled the Brazilian. The two kept exchanging and again, Liddell got another takedown at the end of the fight.
Simply unbelievable!
These two fighters gave the fans exactly what they wanted to see. All those years of waiting were definitely worth it and although this makes it 3 losses in a row for Wanderlei, those three losses were to top quality fighters in Cro Cop, Henderson, and Liddell. Wanderlei showed his warrior spirit and, although he was knocked out in the first two losses, he proved that his chin can not be questioned. I was a fan of both men before this fight and am now a bigger fan of each after this performance! Liddell for showing the fans that he's more than just a 'one-punch' fighter and Silva for showing incredible heart and giving the fans what they wanted to see. It was a fight for the ages; an epic battle that will be served as a highlight reel for both men!
Liddell vs Silva II is only a matter of time!
Monday, December 31, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
Triangle Choke Escapes
This past weekend I competed in a grappling tournament where I placed third in the middleweight division. Each match I lost, I lost due to triangle choke. The first match I lost was to a Judo fighter who ended up winning the division. After he got full mount on me, I managed to escape and get back to my feet, at which point I took him down with a single leg takedown. As soon as I put him on his back he caught me with one arm in and one arm out. I'll explain this concept shortly. He pulled my gi over my head like a hockey jersey, sucked me in, and sunk in the choke. There was nothing left for me to do but tap. The other match I lost was very similar. There was a lot of back and forth between me and him. At one point I had him in full mount and was setting up a triangle choke from mount, but he reversed position and we scrambled. I scrambled right into the triangle. I yelled out "Oh Crap!" and everyone laughed. I tried to fight the choke for as long as I could, but I was finished. Once again I had to tap.
In light of what happened, my coach went through two triangle choke escapes with me in our next class. These escapes should be automatic once your are caught in the triangle. I will describe these escapes and the concept of the triangle choke.
First off, my coach says that the best way to avoid the triangle is to not get caught in it. Sounds funny, I know, but it's the truth. Knowing the basic theory of the triangle choke will help you to prevent it from happening.
This brings me to the one arm in one arm out concept. A triangle choke is applied when you are on your back and your opponent is in your guard. The trick is to have one of his arms inside your legs and the other one outside. (One arm in - One arm out). With one of your opponent's arms between your legs, you can now set up the triangle.
Say you have your opponent's right arm between your legs. Wrap your right leg around your opponent's head so that your calf is pressing on the back of his neck and the inside of your thigh pressing against his left carotid artery. You then take your left leg and wrap it around your right foot. This locks in the triangle position. Bring your opponent's right arm and place it across your belly so that his hand points out to your right. This causes his shoulder to press against his right carotid artery. If you have it in tight, your right thigh and his right shoulder should now be pressing tightly against both his carotid arteries, cutting off the bloodflow to the brain. If he's hanging in there, you can tighten your lock and pull down on his head to make the choke more effective.
So again, the easiest way to avoid the triangle is to not get caught in it. Not getting caught in the triangle means never having one of your arms in between your opponents legs with one of your arms outside. So always follow this rule. ALWAYS. Either have both your arms inside your opponent's guard or have both arms outside the guard. Doing so will make it very difficult for your opponent to set up the triangle. If he can't trap one arm between his legs then he will move on to something else.
Now, sometimes you do get caught. So if you end up in the triangle position, here are two escapes to use:
Spinning Triangle Escape
Say your opponent has trapped your right arm.
In light of what happened, my coach went through two triangle choke escapes with me in our next class. These escapes should be automatic once your are caught in the triangle. I will describe these escapes and the concept of the triangle choke.
First off, my coach says that the best way to avoid the triangle is to not get caught in it. Sounds funny, I know, but it's the truth. Knowing the basic theory of the triangle choke will help you to prevent it from happening.
This brings me to the one arm in one arm out concept. A triangle choke is applied when you are on your back and your opponent is in your guard. The trick is to have one of his arms inside your legs and the other one outside. (One arm in - One arm out). With one of your opponent's arms between your legs, you can now set up the triangle.
Say you have your opponent's right arm between your legs. Wrap your right leg around your opponent's head so that your calf is pressing on the back of his neck and the inside of your thigh pressing against his left carotid artery. You then take your left leg and wrap it around your right foot. This locks in the triangle position. Bring your opponent's right arm and place it across your belly so that his hand points out to your right. This causes his shoulder to press against his right carotid artery. If you have it in tight, your right thigh and his right shoulder should now be pressing tightly against both his carotid arteries, cutting off the bloodflow to the brain. If he's hanging in there, you can tighten your lock and pull down on his head to make the choke more effective.
So again, the easiest way to avoid the triangle is to not get caught in it. Not getting caught in the triangle means never having one of your arms in between your opponents legs with one of your arms outside. So always follow this rule. ALWAYS. Either have both your arms inside your opponent's guard or have both arms outside the guard. Doing so will make it very difficult for your opponent to set up the triangle. If he can't trap one arm between his legs then he will move on to something else.
Now, sometimes you do get caught. So if you end up in the triangle position, here are two escapes to use:
Spinning Triangle Escape
Say your opponent has trapped your right arm.
- Make a fist with your right hand and plant it on the floor on the right side of your opponent's head.
- Stand up.
- Place your right knee against your opponent's left hip.
- With your left hand, reach around and grip your opponent's left hip.
- In one motion, turn to your right, press in against your opponent's hip with your right knee and your left hand.
- You should then spin to your opponent's left side and keep spinning around his head and over to his right. This will open his legs, releasing the triangle.
- Once you are at his right side, you can drop and end up in side control.
Knee Grip Triangle Escape
Once again, we'll use the example with your opponent trapping your right arm.
- With your right arm across your opponent's belly, take your right hand and grap his right knee.
- Take your left hand and place it over your right hand, grabbing at the knee.
- Drop his right knee to the floor.
- In one motion, pull in on his knee with both hands and push against his calf with your shoulder. This will cause his knee to twist and force him to release the triangle.
- You will end up back in his guard.
These are pretty simple escapes, but are very effective. They should only be used as a last resort. Remember, don't allow yourself to be caught in the triangle. Always keep both arms in or both arms out.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
'Big' John McCarthy Belongs in the UFC Hall of Fame
This Saturday at the Ultimate Fighter Finale in Las Vegas, longtime UFC official John McCarthy will say goodbye to the UFC. 'Big' John announced his retirement this week on his website.
Big John has become the face of the law in the Octagon. He has been an official since the very early days of the UFC, becoming a referee at UFC 2. Having officiated approximately 500 MMA bouts and always kicking things off with his trademark phrase "Let's get it on!", Big John has become more famous than most fighters in the UFC.
Since UFC 2, there has only been one event that he did not participate as a referee, and that was the most recent event; UFC 78 in New Jersey. This was because the Athletic Commission in New Jersey demanded that local referees oversee the bouts on the card.
The main event between Roger Huerta and Clay Guida will be the last time we ever see Big John raise the hand of a victorious fighter and the last time we hear the words "Let's Get it On" inside the Octagon.
Big John will move into his new job as a fight analyst for the Fight Network.
With his retirement, I say it's time that the UFC recognizes all that Big John has done for the organization and the sport of MMA. Send "Big" John McCarthy to the UFC Hall of Fame!
I was looking at his website earlier today and found a lot of interesting accomplishements that Big John has achieved. Here is the list of great things that Big John has done:
Big John has become the face of the law in the Octagon. He has been an official since the very early days of the UFC, becoming a referee at UFC 2. Having officiated approximately 500 MMA bouts and always kicking things off with his trademark phrase "Let's get it on!", Big John has become more famous than most fighters in the UFC.
Since UFC 2, there has only been one event that he did not participate as a referee, and that was the most recent event; UFC 78 in New Jersey. This was because the Athletic Commission in New Jersey demanded that local referees oversee the bouts on the card.
The main event between Roger Huerta and Clay Guida will be the last time we ever see Big John raise the hand of a victorious fighter and the last time we hear the words "Let's Get it On" inside the Octagon.
Big John will move into his new job as a fight analyst for the Fight Network.
With his retirement, I say it's time that the UFC recognizes all that Big John has done for the organization and the sport of MMA. Send "Big" John McCarthy to the UFC Hall of Fame!
I was looking at his website earlier today and found a lot of interesting accomplishements that Big John has achieved. Here is the list of great things that Big John has done:
- Officiated over 500 MMA fights worldwide
- Masters Hall of Fame - Outstanding contribution to Mixed Martial Arts
- American Grappling Association Black Belt Instructor
- Member of the Los Angeles Police Department's Mixed Martial Arts Review Board
- Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt
- Grapple Instructor for Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
- Self-Defense Instructor for the Los Angeles Police Department
- Tactics Instructor for the Los Angeles Police Department
- Key figure for writing the unified rules for the sport of mixed martial arts
- Received a California State Resolution for accomplishments in Mixed Martial Arts safety and growth
- Recognized as the premier referee in mixed martial arts
Big John has done so much for the sport of mixed martial arts. He has done so much to ensure the growth of the sport and the safety of the fighters. Other than the first and last UFC events, Big John McCarthy has officiated at every single UFC event ever held. There's not a fight fan in the world who hasn't heard the words "Let's Get it On!" and there's not a fight fan in the world who doesn't know who Big John McCarthy is. He has become one of the most recognizable figures in the sport of MMA; this along with all his contributions to the sport make him more than deserving of the honour of being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame.
He, along with current Hall of Famers Royce Gracie, Ken Shamrock, and Randy Couture, has made the sport what it is today.
Send "Big" John McCarthy to the UFC Hall of Fame!
Although one could easily watch Big John on the Fight Network, I will really miss the big guy taking care of business inside the Octagon. Things won't quite be the same without him.
Monday, December 3, 2007
MMA Tragedy
Since MMA began its uphill battle to become a legitimate sanctioned sport in North America, it boasted a safety record that was hard to match by any sport. In sanctioned MMA, there has never been a death or serious injury. Until now.
On October 20th in Houston, Texas, Renegades Extreme Fighting held an event that included 12 matchups. The third match of the evening saw 35 year old Sam Vasquez take on 21 year old Vince Libardi in a featherweight battle.
In the third round of the bout, Libardi unleashed a flurry of punches that sent Vasquez to the mat. After collapsing in the cage, Vasquez then suffered a seizure and was rushed to the hospital.
His condition only worsened. He developed a large clot in his brain and underwent surgery just two weeks after being admitted. Five days later he suffered a massive stroke and was put into a drug induced coma.
Vasquez died on Friday.
MMA's clean safety record has now been marred by tragedy.
So what does this mean for MMA?
MMA's uphill battle to become sanctioned in every state and province in North America had appeared to be getting easier and easier as more and more states began embracing this new sport. But with these new developments, MMA's battle may have just hit the tip of the iceberg.
I'm sure that there will be an uproar caused because of this tragedy. There will be those who say that MMA is barbaric and that people are dying inside the ring. I'm sure Dana White and the UFC will address the concerns that the public may have about MMA and the safety of the fighters; as will all other MMA promotions. I believe that if MMA is to keep going with it's recent success it needs to blitz 'fighter safety' and 'safety track record'. MMA promoters need to get the word out fast and furious about the safety regulations that the sport of MMA has implemented. They need to have fighter testimonials as well as political references.
The sanctioning hearings held in each state will now, more than likely, include discussion regarding this particular MMA related death. There will be major concerns brought to the table during these hearings and with good reason. But I believe that the promoters of this sport have been doing all of the right things to make this a legitimate sport. I believe that they will continue to do everything in their power to ensure the safety of the fighters. This is only one step back among a hundred steps forward. This tragedy might have slowed the expansion of MMA, but it hasn't stopped it.
I don't know Sam Vasquez, but I'm sure he'd be right there in front of the panel telling them that MMA should stick around!
On October 20th in Houston, Texas, Renegades Extreme Fighting held an event that included 12 matchups. The third match of the evening saw 35 year old Sam Vasquez take on 21 year old Vince Libardi in a featherweight battle.
In the third round of the bout, Libardi unleashed a flurry of punches that sent Vasquez to the mat. After collapsing in the cage, Vasquez then suffered a seizure and was rushed to the hospital.
His condition only worsened. He developed a large clot in his brain and underwent surgery just two weeks after being admitted. Five days later he suffered a massive stroke and was put into a drug induced coma.
Vasquez died on Friday.
MMA's clean safety record has now been marred by tragedy.
So what does this mean for MMA?
MMA's uphill battle to become sanctioned in every state and province in North America had appeared to be getting easier and easier as more and more states began embracing this new sport. But with these new developments, MMA's battle may have just hit the tip of the iceberg.
I'm sure that there will be an uproar caused because of this tragedy. There will be those who say that MMA is barbaric and that people are dying inside the ring. I'm sure Dana White and the UFC will address the concerns that the public may have about MMA and the safety of the fighters; as will all other MMA promotions. I believe that if MMA is to keep going with it's recent success it needs to blitz 'fighter safety' and 'safety track record'. MMA promoters need to get the word out fast and furious about the safety regulations that the sport of MMA has implemented. They need to have fighter testimonials as well as political references.
The sanctioning hearings held in each state will now, more than likely, include discussion regarding this particular MMA related death. There will be major concerns brought to the table during these hearings and with good reason. But I believe that the promoters of this sport have been doing all of the right things to make this a legitimate sport. I believe that they will continue to do everything in their power to ensure the safety of the fighters. This is only one step back among a hundred steps forward. This tragedy might have slowed the expansion of MMA, but it hasn't stopped it.
I don't know Sam Vasquez, but I'm sure he'd be right there in front of the panel telling them that MMA should stick around!
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