*Ratings are based on how entertaining the fights were not based on overall performance or skill.
UFC's "The Ultimate 100 Greatest Fights"
"The Ultimate 100 Greatest Fights" is a 8-disc DVD set which aired on Spike TV to promote UFC 100. While the Spike TV version aired clipped versions of the fights, this DVD set features all 100 fights in their full length. The set comes in a real cool DVD box showcasing Chuck Liddell vs Wanderlei Silva on the cover. Inside there's a mini-picture book featuring various fights, fighters and UFC posters spanning from UFC 1 - 100. Very cool stuff. The presentation is very top notch and worth the price even if you saw the Spike TV special.
DVD Intro
We get a quick intro hyping up UFC and showing a bunch of cool clips from various shows.
#100 - UFC 80 - Welterweight Fight: Paul Taylor vs Paul Kelly
This was a preliminary fight during UFC's trip to England. These two come out swinging! Very exciting openning. Paul Kelly gets cut first and presses up against the cage. Taylor attempts a flying Guillotine Choke?! and takes the fight to the ground. Paul Kelly ground and pounds while he's ontop, busting Taylor open. Both men bleeding now. Awesome first round.
Second round starts with some more punches, not as much as the first round though. Paul Taylor scores a takedown but looks very awkward on the ground. Taylor attempts a sloppy Rear Naked Choke and ends up on his back. Paul Kelly dominates on the ground, exposing Taylor's ground game. Paul Taylor attempts a sloppy Kimura but Kelly manages to avoid it. For whatever reason Paul Taylor keeps on working for a Kimura. Kelly makes Taylor pay for going back to that Kimura by smashing his head open with an Elbow. Annd we got a BLOODBATH to end the second round.
Third round starts off with a hug? More back and forth striking to kick off the last round. Paul Taylor ends up on his back again. Dunno why Taylor didn't just keep the fight on his feet, he looks real uncomfortable on the ground. Referee stands both fighters up. Taylor presses, nailing kicks and jabs, see that's what he should've done all along. Kelly leg-trips Taylor and he's screwed. The fight ends with both men exchanging bombs while on the ground! No matter who wins, these two put on one helluva fight!
Winner by Unanimous Decision, 30-27, Paul Kelly
(Very exciting match between these two Brits. I feel sorry for whoever had to follow them. Don't think anybody expected such a great fight between these two. ****)
#99 - UFC 31 - Welterweight Championship: Pat Miletich(c) vs Carlos Newton
Both fighters feel each other out. Throwing feelers. Newton uses his speed to sneak in some jabs and kicks. Non-stop movement by Carlos Newton. Carlos goes for a takedown but ends up falling on his butt. Miletich lands some hard jabs. Finally, Carlos Newton scores a takedown with 20 seconds left in the first round.
Pat Miletich presses forward, landing some strikes but gets taken down with a leg trip. Newton applies a Guillotine but the Welterweight Champion uses his strength to stand-up with him and slam him on the ground. Newton somehow manages to get back onto his feet while getting smashed on the ground. Pat's starting to look gassed. Carlos scores a double leg takedown, trying to avoid trading strikes with his bigger opponent. A small exchange on the ground before the last round.
Carlos Newton looks a little scared standing, probably from all of the STIFF punches he took in the last two rounds. When Pat Miletich lands a punch, he LANDS A PUNCH. Apparently Carlos Newton gets poked in the eye and the ref calls for a time-out. Miletich continues to press forward forcing Carlos Newton to go for another takedown. Pat Miletich tries to get off of the ground and back onto his feet when Carlos Newton applies a HEADLOCK?! Miletich taps-out! See the Headlock DOES really work!
Winner and NEW WELTERWEIGHT Champion: Carlos Newton
(Slow during some parts but nowhere near a bad fight. The finish of the fight is a must-see if you're a fan of submissions. ***)
#98 - UFC Fight Night 13 - Lightweight Fight: Kenny Florian vs Joe Lauzon
Lauzon presses forward, trying to catch K-Flo with a bomb, Florian does a good job avoiding getting hit. Joe Lauzon gets a nice takedown and Kenny Florian makes him pay by nailing him in the back of the head with some elbows. The referee stops the fight and warns K-Flo. Joe Lauzon is busted pretty bad. Florian takes Lauzon down but it doesn't really lead to anything. Lauzon scrambles to his feet and takes Florian down with a double underhook. Tons of action! After a knee-bar attempt, both men scramble back to their feet and K-Flo immediately works for a takedown. K-Flo scores a takedown but Joe Lauzon lands ontop of him and goes for another knee-bar 10 seconds before the end of the round.
A slower start to the second round but both fighters still land some punches. K-Flo gets a takedown and starts punishing Lauzon with some ground and pound. It doesn't look good for Lauzon as Florian is in such a dominant position. K-Flo tee's off on Joe Lauzon's head untill the referee stops the fight.
Winner by TKO: Kenny Florian
(This was a very technical grudge match filled with tons of takedowns and stiff strikes. Awesome fight. ***1/2)
#97 - UFC Fight Night 8 - Light Heavyweight Fight: Rashan Evans vs Sean Salmon
Slow feel-out process. Sean Salmon goes for a sloppy side-kick which the commentators make fun of. Salmon gets the first takedown, getting side-control and landing some deadly hammer-fist to the side of Evans' head. Rashad scrambles back to his feet and Salmon immediately attempts another takedown. Sean Salmon catches one of Rashad's kicks and takes him down but Evans quickly gets back to his feet.
Salmon goes for a takedown and Rashan makes him pay for it by knocking him down with a punch. Evans lands a couple of knees and punches as Salmon tries to get back up, not enough to knock him out though. Salmon misses a jab and gets NAILED by a head-kick, knocking him out!
Winner by Knock Out: Rashan Evans
(Rashad didn't look very confident in the first round but he made up for it with a sick second round KO. ***)
#96 - UFC 60 - Middleweight Championship: Matt Hughes vs Royce Gracie
Weired seeing Royce fighting in shorts and not his karater gi. Feel-out process as Royce shows off his brand-new striking skill. Matt Hughes gets a takedown, getting side-control. Royce Gracie tries to use his old school Jiu-Jitsu skill to roll-out of the bottom of the guard but Matt Hughes controls him. Hughes attempts a Kimura but Royce Gracie refuses to submit even after Hughes nearly pops his arm in half. Royce gives up his back and Matt Hughes nails him untill the referee stops the fight.
Winner by TKO: Matt Hughes
(Royce looked out of place while Matt Hughes looked like a monster. This was a huge win for Hughes and proved that the new-era of MMA fighters are on a whole different playing field. *** 1/2)
#95 - UFC 90 - Lightweight Fight: Sean Sherk vs Tyson Griffin
Both fighters land some bombs. Tyson Griffin gives up his back and Sherk goes for a Choke. Somehow Tyson Griffin manages to stand-up with Sherk on his back and walk over to his corner for advice. Tyson Griffin shrugs Sean Sherk off of his back and the fight goes back to a slugfest. Sherk gets a takedown but doesn't do much with it, it isn't long untill the fight goes back to a stand-up. Griffin gets stuffed and Sherk impressively spins out into another choke but AGAIN Tyson stands up with Sherk on his back. Griffin lands a Head-kick/Punch combo. Great first round.
Back and forth jab exchange. Sherk lands some hard punches while Griffin tells him to BRING IT! Tyson gives some love back, landing some stiff jabs and leg-kicks. Sean attempts a takedown but Tyson avoids it and they're back to exchanging BOMBS! Tyson looks gassed. This round was more of a Kick Boxing match than anything else.
Both fighters come out swinging...BIG TIME! Griffin misses a head-kick and almost pays. Non-stop action! How can these two keep up such a fast pace? These guys decide to keep the fight standing, avoiding any takedowns. Under 1 minute left and the crowd is on their feet. Sherk keeps on throwing punches while Griffin seems gassed out of his brains. Fight ends with some back and forth exchange. Gonna be hard to pick a winner after this one.
Winner by Unanimous Decision, 29-28, Sean Sherk
(This was more of a Kick Boxing fight than anything else. Exciting fight between these two with tons of action. ****)
#94. UFC 32 - Lightweight Fight: BJ Penn vs Din Thomas
This is BJ Penn's second UFC fight while Din Thomas is making his UFC debut. Penn wastes no time going for a takedown. BJ goes for an wiered arm submission but Din Thomas powers his way out of the hold and both fighters scramble to their feet. The Prodigy catches Thomas with a knee-strike and knocks him out, Penn goes for the attack untill the referee stops him.
Winner by TKO: BJ Penn
(This fight was all about BJ. He looked confident and dominant. Not much of a fight though since it ended so quickly. ** 1/2)
#93. UFC 78 - Welterweight Fight: Thiago Alves vs Chris Lytle
Lytle presses forward but Alves blocks them all easy. Chris Lytle shows his fighting spirit by charging at Thiago Alves with a flurry of punches and kicks all which is blocked. Alves avoids a jab and knocks Lytle down with a hook, cutting him open above his eye. Neither guy is slowing down, landing some good blows but nothing too strong to end the fight.
They keep up the pace in the second round. Lytle throws some rapid punches while Alves manages to block all of them. Fight quickly turns into a Kick Boxing fight, neither fighter going for any takedowns. Alves lands some leg-kicks and Chris Lytle is limping.
For some reason, the Judge decides to call the fight after looking at Chris Lytle's cut which doesn't sit well with the crowd or the commentators. The cut didn't look bad at all. If it wasn't for the crazy stoppage Lytle probably would've won by decision.
Winner by TKO: Thiago Alves
(Awesome fight. Not only did these guys throw some impressive strikes but they also did a great job of blocking them. It's rare to see a fight with good offense and defense. If it wasn't for the bad finish, this fight would've been way more memorable. *** 1/2)
#92. UFC 39 - Lightweight Fight: BJ Penn vs Matt Serra
Penn immediately goes for a takedown. Serra does a good job responding to BJ's offense, avoiding a KO opportunity and grabbing The Prodigy in a clinch. It looks like both of these guys are still trying to feel each other out by the end of the first round.
The Prodigy misses a kick and gets taken down, Serra applies a Guillotine but Penn scrambles to his feet and breaks out of the hold. Matt Serra goes for a single leg takedown but can't take BJ down. Serra nails Penn with a big right but The Prodigy just tells him to "Bring it!". After landing another punch, Serra goes for another single leg but still can't take him down.
Slower paced third round. Both guys look cautious about making a mistake this late in the fight. Serra fails with another single leg attempt, well you can't call him a quitter. Dull last round. Nothing really connected or stood out. We go to a judge's decision.
Winner by Unanimous Decision, 29-28, BJ Penn
(Nothing really bad with the fight. Some parts of the fights really dragged on since both guys were really cautious. This win puts Penn back on the road to the top of the Lightweight Division. ***)
#91. The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale - Light Heavyweight Fight: Ken Shamrock vs Rich Franklin
Ken Shamrock goes for a takedown but slips and falls, Rich Franklin tries to take advantage of the situation but ends up on the bottom of the guard, grabbing ahold of an arm submission. Shamrock manages to submission and applies an ankle lock which Franklin rolls out of. "The World's Most Dangerous Man" throws a kick but falls...AGAIN?!...and gets nailed untill the referee stops the fight.
Winner by TKO: Rich Franklin
(This fight was embarassing for Shamrock, falling twice in one fight. It at least helped Rich Franklin move up in the ranks. ** 1/2)
#90. UFC 41 - Lightweight Championship Fight: BJ Penn vs Caol Ono
Penn grabs a hold of a front waistlock and presses Ono up against the cage. Penn manages to slam Caol on the ground and gets in side-control. BJ transition to a full mount but Ono spins around to try and scramble and gives up his back. Penn tries a Rear Naked Choke but Caol scrambles to his feet. Fight goes back to the ground and Penn goes for another Rear Naked Choke, Ono does a good job blocking the hold though. The round ends, probably saving Caol Ono from getting choked out.
Caol works over Penn's leg with some kicks. Ono goes for one too many leg-kicks and Penn makes him pay for it with a right jab. Caol takes Penn down, BJ gets up and Ono takes him down again. The round ends kinda flat with neither guy able to do much.
Ono looks like he found some energy while Penn looks gassed. BJ takes Ono down and Caol applies some sort of weired Headscissors. Penn easily breaks free and tries a Triangle, Ono breaks free with some punches. The round ends before Caol Ono was able to land more bombs. Wow. How the tide has turned.
BJ Penn sweeps Ono. The Prodigy lands some bombs, finally showing some life, Caol is busted open over his eye. Ono rolls out, trying to avoid getting knocked out but gives up his back again. Fight goes back standing and BJ Penn smells blood! Prodigy scores some more takedowns but doesn't really get anything. The fight is going to the fifth round.
Aggressive start to the final round with both guys applying preasure. BJ takes Ono down with a double leg and Caol gives up his back once again, it's gonna catch up with him. Ono gets ontop of the guard but Penn scrambles to his feet. Caol Ono works on another takedown but the final round ends before he could really do anything. BJ looks absolutely gassed out by the end of the fight.
Judge's score the fight a draw: No Contest
(The fight was very dull and boring in some parts and never really picked up. Ono did better than I expected but Penn was just wayy too laid back. ** 1/2)
#89. UFC 66 - Light Heavyweight: Keith Jardine vs Forrest Griffin
Both fighters throwing punches and kicks and hoping something lands. Don't think anybody will go for any takedowns in this one. 30 seconds left and both fighters start exchanging BOMBS! Forrest falls first and Jardine jumps in, grounds and pounds untill the referee stops the fight.
Winner by TKO: Keith Jardine
(Awesome brawl between these two strikers. Keith Jardine looked like a monster. Very exciting fight that went to the man who landed the harddest punch first. ***1/2)
#88. UFC 67 - Lightweight Fight: Frankie Edgar vs Tyson Griffin
Fight starts off hot with back and forth strikes. Tyson misses a head-kick and the fight gets taken to the ground. Tyson applies a Guillotine but Edgar breaks free, both fighters scramble to their feet. Tyson slams Edgar down to the mat and Frankie responds with some GREAT wrestling transitions. Frankie Edgar takes Tyson Griffin down, Griffin scrambles to his feet after getting hit with some punches. Edgar leaps into one of Griffin's kicks to end the first round.
Slower start to the second round. Tyson attempts another double leg slam but Frankie Edgar does a great job blocking it. Great wrestling technique from both guys. Tyson presses forward, landing some bombs. Frankie's mouth is busted. Griffin looks gassed and gives up his leg after attempting a kick, Frankie Edgar lands some shots on the ground but it isn't long till Tyson gets back to his feet. One of Griffin's leg kicks knocks Edgar down. Griffin attempts a German Suplex but Frankie Edgar lands ontop of him and lands some bombs, Griffin defends himself before any damage could really be done.
Both guys look gassed. Edgar kicks Griffin in the groin but the referee tells them to continue fighting. Frankie Edge grabs Tyson Griffin up against the cage and lands some hammerfists, the commentators mention how the referee should've stopped the clock, Griffin recovers before getting knocked out. After a sloppy takedown, Griffin grabs a hold of a leg lock, nearly snapping Edgar's leg in half. Frankie Edgar somehow manages to avoid tapping out and runs out the clock!! WOW. Frankie limps towards to his corner, probably with a busted knee.
Winner by Unanimous Decision, 29-28, 29-28, 30,27, Frankie Edgar
(What a great technical wrestling match sprinkled with some hard hitting strikes. Very entertaining fight that could've gone either way. The last 30 seconds of the fight was insane and Edgar deserves a lot of respect for not tapping out. ****)
To be continued....
UFC's "The Ultimate 100 Greatest Fights"
"The Ultimate 100 Greatest Fights" is a 8-disc DVD set which aired on Spike TV to promote UFC 100. While the Spike TV version aired clipped versions of the fights, this DVD set features all 100 fights in their full length. The set comes in a real cool DVD box showcasing Chuck Liddell vs Wanderlei Silva on the cover. Inside there's a mini-picture book featuring various fights, fighters and UFC posters spanning from UFC 1 - 100. Very cool stuff. The presentation is very top notch and worth the price even if you saw the Spike TV special.
DVD Intro
We get a quick intro hyping up UFC and showing a bunch of cool clips from various shows.
#100 - UFC 80 - Welterweight Fight: Paul Taylor vs Paul Kelly
This was a preliminary fight during UFC's trip to England. These two come out swinging! Very exciting openning. Paul Kelly gets cut first and presses up against the cage. Taylor attempts a flying Guillotine Choke?! and takes the fight to the ground. Paul Kelly ground and pounds while he's ontop, busting Taylor open. Both men bleeding now. Awesome first round.
Second round starts with some more punches, not as much as the first round though. Paul Taylor scores a takedown but looks very awkward on the ground. Taylor attempts a sloppy Rear Naked Choke and ends up on his back. Paul Kelly dominates on the ground, exposing Taylor's ground game. Paul Taylor attempts a sloppy Kimura but Kelly manages to avoid it. For whatever reason Paul Taylor keeps on working for a Kimura. Kelly makes Taylor pay for going back to that Kimura by smashing his head open with an Elbow. Annd we got a BLOODBATH to end the second round.
Third round starts off with a hug? More back and forth striking to kick off the last round. Paul Taylor ends up on his back again. Dunno why Taylor didn't just keep the fight on his feet, he looks real uncomfortable on the ground. Referee stands both fighters up. Taylor presses, nailing kicks and jabs, see that's what he should've done all along. Kelly leg-trips Taylor and he's screwed. The fight ends with both men exchanging bombs while on the ground! No matter who wins, these two put on one helluva fight!
Winner by Unanimous Decision, 30-27, Paul Kelly
(Very exciting match between these two Brits. I feel sorry for whoever had to follow them. Don't think anybody expected such a great fight between these two. ****)
#99 - UFC 31 - Welterweight Championship: Pat Miletich(c) vs Carlos Newton
Both fighters feel each other out. Throwing feelers. Newton uses his speed to sneak in some jabs and kicks. Non-stop movement by Carlos Newton. Carlos goes for a takedown but ends up falling on his butt. Miletich lands some hard jabs. Finally, Carlos Newton scores a takedown with 20 seconds left in the first round.
Pat Miletich presses forward, landing some strikes but gets taken down with a leg trip. Newton applies a Guillotine but the Welterweight Champion uses his strength to stand-up with him and slam him on the ground. Newton somehow manages to get back onto his feet while getting smashed on the ground. Pat's starting to look gassed. Carlos scores a double leg takedown, trying to avoid trading strikes with his bigger opponent. A small exchange on the ground before the last round.
Carlos Newton looks a little scared standing, probably from all of the STIFF punches he took in the last two rounds. When Pat Miletich lands a punch, he LANDS A PUNCH. Apparently Carlos Newton gets poked in the eye and the ref calls for a time-out. Miletich continues to press forward forcing Carlos Newton to go for another takedown. Pat Miletich tries to get off of the ground and back onto his feet when Carlos Newton applies a HEADLOCK?! Miletich taps-out! See the Headlock DOES really work!
Winner and NEW WELTERWEIGHT Champion: Carlos Newton
(Slow during some parts but nowhere near a bad fight. The finish of the fight is a must-see if you're a fan of submissions. ***)
#98 - UFC Fight Night 13 - Lightweight Fight: Kenny Florian vs Joe Lauzon
Lauzon presses forward, trying to catch K-Flo with a bomb, Florian does a good job avoiding getting hit. Joe Lauzon gets a nice takedown and Kenny Florian makes him pay by nailing him in the back of the head with some elbows. The referee stops the fight and warns K-Flo. Joe Lauzon is busted pretty bad. Florian takes Lauzon down but it doesn't really lead to anything. Lauzon scrambles to his feet and takes Florian down with a double underhook. Tons of action! After a knee-bar attempt, both men scramble back to their feet and K-Flo immediately works for a takedown. K-Flo scores a takedown but Joe Lauzon lands ontop of him and goes for another knee-bar 10 seconds before the end of the round.
A slower start to the second round but both fighters still land some punches. K-Flo gets a takedown and starts punishing Lauzon with some ground and pound. It doesn't look good for Lauzon as Florian is in such a dominant position. K-Flo tee's off on Joe Lauzon's head untill the referee stops the fight.
Winner by TKO: Kenny Florian
(This was a very technical grudge match filled with tons of takedowns and stiff strikes. Awesome fight. ***1/2)
#97 - UFC Fight Night 8 - Light Heavyweight Fight: Rashan Evans vs Sean Salmon
Slow feel-out process. Sean Salmon goes for a sloppy side-kick which the commentators make fun of. Salmon gets the first takedown, getting side-control and landing some deadly hammer-fist to the side of Evans' head. Rashad scrambles back to his feet and Salmon immediately attempts another takedown. Sean Salmon catches one of Rashad's kicks and takes him down but Evans quickly gets back to his feet.
Salmon goes for a takedown and Rashan makes him pay for it by knocking him down with a punch. Evans lands a couple of knees and punches as Salmon tries to get back up, not enough to knock him out though. Salmon misses a jab and gets NAILED by a head-kick, knocking him out!
Winner by Knock Out: Rashan Evans
(Rashad didn't look very confident in the first round but he made up for it with a sick second round KO. ***)
#96 - UFC 60 - Middleweight Championship: Matt Hughes vs Royce Gracie
Weired seeing Royce fighting in shorts and not his karater gi. Feel-out process as Royce shows off his brand-new striking skill. Matt Hughes gets a takedown, getting side-control. Royce Gracie tries to use his old school Jiu-Jitsu skill to roll-out of the bottom of the guard but Matt Hughes controls him. Hughes attempts a Kimura but Royce Gracie refuses to submit even after Hughes nearly pops his arm in half. Royce gives up his back and Matt Hughes nails him untill the referee stops the fight.
Winner by TKO: Matt Hughes
(Royce looked out of place while Matt Hughes looked like a monster. This was a huge win for Hughes and proved that the new-era of MMA fighters are on a whole different playing field. *** 1/2)
#95 - UFC 90 - Lightweight Fight: Sean Sherk vs Tyson Griffin
Both fighters land some bombs. Tyson Griffin gives up his back and Sherk goes for a Choke. Somehow Tyson Griffin manages to stand-up with Sherk on his back and walk over to his corner for advice. Tyson Griffin shrugs Sean Sherk off of his back and the fight goes back to a slugfest. Sherk gets a takedown but doesn't do much with it, it isn't long untill the fight goes back to a stand-up. Griffin gets stuffed and Sherk impressively spins out into another choke but AGAIN Tyson stands up with Sherk on his back. Griffin lands a Head-kick/Punch combo. Great first round.
Back and forth jab exchange. Sherk lands some hard punches while Griffin tells him to BRING IT! Tyson gives some love back, landing some stiff jabs and leg-kicks. Sean attempts a takedown but Tyson avoids it and they're back to exchanging BOMBS! Tyson looks gassed. This round was more of a Kick Boxing match than anything else.
Both fighters come out swinging...BIG TIME! Griffin misses a head-kick and almost pays. Non-stop action! How can these two keep up such a fast pace? These guys decide to keep the fight standing, avoiding any takedowns. Under 1 minute left and the crowd is on their feet. Sherk keeps on throwing punches while Griffin seems gassed out of his brains. Fight ends with some back and forth exchange. Gonna be hard to pick a winner after this one.
Winner by Unanimous Decision, 29-28, Sean Sherk
(This was more of a Kick Boxing fight than anything else. Exciting fight between these two with tons of action. ****)
#94. UFC 32 - Lightweight Fight: BJ Penn vs Din Thomas
This is BJ Penn's second UFC fight while Din Thomas is making his UFC debut. Penn wastes no time going for a takedown. BJ goes for an wiered arm submission but Din Thomas powers his way out of the hold and both fighters scramble to their feet. The Prodigy catches Thomas with a knee-strike and knocks him out, Penn goes for the attack untill the referee stops him.
Winner by TKO: BJ Penn
(This fight was all about BJ. He looked confident and dominant. Not much of a fight though since it ended so quickly. ** 1/2)
#93. UFC 78 - Welterweight Fight: Thiago Alves vs Chris Lytle
Lytle presses forward but Alves blocks them all easy. Chris Lytle shows his fighting spirit by charging at Thiago Alves with a flurry of punches and kicks all which is blocked. Alves avoids a jab and knocks Lytle down with a hook, cutting him open above his eye. Neither guy is slowing down, landing some good blows but nothing too strong to end the fight.
They keep up the pace in the second round. Lytle throws some rapid punches while Alves manages to block all of them. Fight quickly turns into a Kick Boxing fight, neither fighter going for any takedowns. Alves lands some leg-kicks and Chris Lytle is limping.
For some reason, the Judge decides to call the fight after looking at Chris Lytle's cut which doesn't sit well with the crowd or the commentators. The cut didn't look bad at all. If it wasn't for the crazy stoppage Lytle probably would've won by decision.
Winner by TKO: Thiago Alves
(Awesome fight. Not only did these guys throw some impressive strikes but they also did a great job of blocking them. It's rare to see a fight with good offense and defense. If it wasn't for the bad finish, this fight would've been way more memorable. *** 1/2)
#92. UFC 39 - Lightweight Fight: BJ Penn vs Matt Serra
Penn immediately goes for a takedown. Serra does a good job responding to BJ's offense, avoiding a KO opportunity and grabbing The Prodigy in a clinch. It looks like both of these guys are still trying to feel each other out by the end of the first round.
The Prodigy misses a kick and gets taken down, Serra applies a Guillotine but Penn scrambles to his feet and breaks out of the hold. Matt Serra goes for a single leg takedown but can't take BJ down. Serra nails Penn with a big right but The Prodigy just tells him to "Bring it!". After landing another punch, Serra goes for another single leg but still can't take him down.
Slower paced third round. Both guys look cautious about making a mistake this late in the fight. Serra fails with another single leg attempt, well you can't call him a quitter. Dull last round. Nothing really connected or stood out. We go to a judge's decision.
Winner by Unanimous Decision, 29-28, BJ Penn
(Nothing really bad with the fight. Some parts of the fights really dragged on since both guys were really cautious. This win puts Penn back on the road to the top of the Lightweight Division. ***)
#91. The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale - Light Heavyweight Fight: Ken Shamrock vs Rich Franklin
Ken Shamrock goes for a takedown but slips and falls, Rich Franklin tries to take advantage of the situation but ends up on the bottom of the guard, grabbing ahold of an arm submission. Shamrock manages to submission and applies an ankle lock which Franklin rolls out of. "The World's Most Dangerous Man" throws a kick but falls...AGAIN?!...and gets nailed untill the referee stops the fight.
Winner by TKO: Rich Franklin
(This fight was embarassing for Shamrock, falling twice in one fight. It at least helped Rich Franklin move up in the ranks. ** 1/2)
#90. UFC 41 - Lightweight Championship Fight: BJ Penn vs Caol Ono
Penn grabs a hold of a front waistlock and presses Ono up against the cage. Penn manages to slam Caol on the ground and gets in side-control. BJ transition to a full mount but Ono spins around to try and scramble and gives up his back. Penn tries a Rear Naked Choke but Caol scrambles to his feet. Fight goes back to the ground and Penn goes for another Rear Naked Choke, Ono does a good job blocking the hold though. The round ends, probably saving Caol Ono from getting choked out.
Caol works over Penn's leg with some kicks. Ono goes for one too many leg-kicks and Penn makes him pay for it with a right jab. Caol takes Penn down, BJ gets up and Ono takes him down again. The round ends kinda flat with neither guy able to do much.
Ono looks like he found some energy while Penn looks gassed. BJ takes Ono down and Caol applies some sort of weired Headscissors. Penn easily breaks free and tries a Triangle, Ono breaks free with some punches. The round ends before Caol Ono was able to land more bombs. Wow. How the tide has turned.
BJ Penn sweeps Ono. The Prodigy lands some bombs, finally showing some life, Caol is busted open over his eye. Ono rolls out, trying to avoid getting knocked out but gives up his back again. Fight goes back standing and BJ Penn smells blood! Prodigy scores some more takedowns but doesn't really get anything. The fight is going to the fifth round.
Aggressive start to the final round with both guys applying preasure. BJ takes Ono down with a double leg and Caol gives up his back once again, it's gonna catch up with him. Ono gets ontop of the guard but Penn scrambles to his feet. Caol Ono works on another takedown but the final round ends before he could really do anything. BJ looks absolutely gassed out by the end of the fight.
Judge's score the fight a draw: No Contest
(The fight was very dull and boring in some parts and never really picked up. Ono did better than I expected but Penn was just wayy too laid back. ** 1/2)
#89. UFC 66 - Light Heavyweight: Keith Jardine vs Forrest Griffin
Both fighters throwing punches and kicks and hoping something lands. Don't think anybody will go for any takedowns in this one. 30 seconds left and both fighters start exchanging BOMBS! Forrest falls first and Jardine jumps in, grounds and pounds untill the referee stops the fight.
Winner by TKO: Keith Jardine
(Awesome brawl between these two strikers. Keith Jardine looked like a monster. Very exciting fight that went to the man who landed the harddest punch first. ***1/2)
#88. UFC 67 - Lightweight Fight: Frankie Edgar vs Tyson Griffin
Fight starts off hot with back and forth strikes. Tyson misses a head-kick and the fight gets taken to the ground. Tyson applies a Guillotine but Edgar breaks free, both fighters scramble to their feet. Tyson slams Edgar down to the mat and Frankie responds with some GREAT wrestling transitions. Frankie Edgar takes Tyson Griffin down, Griffin scrambles to his feet after getting hit with some punches. Edgar leaps into one of Griffin's kicks to end the first round.
Slower start to the second round. Tyson attempts another double leg slam but Frankie Edgar does a great job blocking it. Great wrestling technique from both guys. Tyson presses forward, landing some bombs. Frankie's mouth is busted. Griffin looks gassed and gives up his leg after attempting a kick, Frankie Edgar lands some shots on the ground but it isn't long till Tyson gets back to his feet. One of Griffin's leg kicks knocks Edgar down. Griffin attempts a German Suplex but Frankie Edgar lands ontop of him and lands some bombs, Griffin defends himself before any damage could really be done.
Both guys look gassed. Edgar kicks Griffin in the groin but the referee tells them to continue fighting. Frankie Edge grabs Tyson Griffin up against the cage and lands some hammerfists, the commentators mention how the referee should've stopped the clock, Griffin recovers before getting knocked out. After a sloppy takedown, Griffin grabs a hold of a leg lock, nearly snapping Edgar's leg in half. Frankie Edgar somehow manages to avoid tapping out and runs out the clock!! WOW. Frankie limps towards to his corner, probably with a busted knee.
Winner by Unanimous Decision, 29-28, 29-28, 30,27, Frankie Edgar
(What a great technical wrestling match sprinkled with some hard hitting strikes. Very entertaining fight that could've gone either way. The last 30 seconds of the fight was insane and Edgar deserves a lot of respect for not tapping out. ****)
To be continued....
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