STRIKEFORCE CARD WAS A FIVE STAR WINNER
Bethlehem, PA– On a night that saw Strikeforce literally live up to it’s name, with four big knockouts on the main card, the UFC, the recognized top dog in MMA settled for decision after decision. If that wasn’t enough to thwart the rush, it is the bad judging in a lone action packed UFC fight that lingers on my mind. Ultimately, the pros should outweigh the cons, but bad judging in MMA is what is outweighing everything of late.
SHOWTIME MMA RESULTS INCLUDE SURPRISE
Before I get into it, a quick recap of MMA action. Let me start by saying I’ve been extremely critical of the Strikeforce brand of MMA this past year. In my mid-2010 report, I gave them a D, largely because I feel Scott Coker, the Strikeforce president, his handling of business has actually been a detriment to the promotion. That being said, nothing has changed in my mind and regardless Coker and company put on an entertaining show Saturday night.
STRIKEFORCE BEATS UFC PROGRAMING IN SAME TIME SLOT
In another situation where they were going head to head with the UFC on Spike TV, Strikeforce stepped up to the plate and salvaged a card that was almost ravaged by injuries. In the main event, 205 lbs. former UFC veteran and Pride champion, Dan Henderson, (26-8, 11 KO’s 2 subs) showed he still has something left in the tank as he pummeled Renato ‘Babalu’ Sobral (36-9, 5 KO’s 18 subs) for a first round finish in under two minutes.
STRIKFORCE BEATS UFC HANDS DOWN SATURDAY NIGHT
That seemed to be the trend of the night for Strikeforce, as the two fights previous to that one saw first round KO’s as well. At welterweight (170, hard hitting Brit Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley (26-9-2, 19 KO’s 2 subs) needed just a little over two minutes to finish Scott ‘Hands of Steel’ Smith (17-8, 14 KO’s 3 subs). With a series of left hooks, Daley dropped Smith face first on the mat. Up next for Daley, a potentially exciting fight with the fast hand punching KJ Noons.
CROWD FAVORITE LAWLER A VICTOR TOO!
Meanwhile, ‘Ruthless’ Robbie Lawler (18-6, 15 KO’s 1 sub) outdid both of those guys, as he used up all of 50 seconds to send one time UFC middleweight (185) contender and US Olympic runner up, Matt ‘The Law’ Lindland (22-8, 8 KO’s 7 subs) into possible retirement. The big question here is, why did two-time Olympic Silver Medalist Lindland, choose to stand and trade with Lawler? The guy has 15 KO’s in 18 wins; hello, is anybody home?
UFC SHOW LACKED USUAL SPARKS
As for the UFC, not much to talk about or better yet, not enough time as each fight on the main card went the distance. In the headliner of the night, ‘Ultimate Fighter’ season 12 lightweight (155) participants Jonathan Brookins (12-3, 2 KO’s 8 subs) and Michael Johnson (8-5, 4 KO’s 2 subs) did put it all on the line. Brookins came back, after losing the first round, to win a unanimous decision and a contract with the UFC.
EX-WEC FIGHTER STEALS UFC SHOW
That brings me to easily the fight of the night, yet the biggest disappointment as well. In the opening bout on the main card, the UFC’s first ever in the featherweight division (145), Leonard ‘Bad Boy’ Garcia (15-6-1, 3 KO’s 9 subs), who came over in the World Extreme Cagefighting merger, fought fellow the “Ultimate Fighter #12 participant Nam Phan (16-8, 7 KO’s 5 subs). As was expected when the lighter weights were brought over, the action packed fights came with them.
HAVING BEEN SHORTED BEFORE STOOD ONE LEONARD GARCIA
Garcia, known for his wild style of “swinging for the fences” on every punch, is also known for split decisions, win or lose. On this night, he won, although in my opinion and apparently everyone else, he shouldn’t have. While Garcia was throwing haymakers, he was like a power hitter in baseball who usually either connects or whiffs. If Garcia were a baseball player, he would’ve struck out a number of times swinging at air. He did manage two takedowns throughout the fight, but Phan quickly got up on both and sustained no damage. Meanwhile, Phan was technical in his approach, using quick countering punches in combination and vicious left hooks to the body throughout. I even texted someone and said, “Nam Phan is the Mike McCallum of MMA, the Body Snatcher,” a reference to the former 80’s boxing legend from Jamaica.
INEPT MUCKED UP JUDGING LOOKED A LOT LIKE BOXING
Phan also knocked down Garcia in the second round and controlled him for well over two minutes, punishing his foe with punches and tried to secure a rear naked choke submission to no avail. I guess all this wasn’t enough in the judge’s eyes. Once again, they dropped the ball as was clearly evidenced by the chorus of boos in the arena and color commentator Joe Rogan’s disdain.
ROGAN SLAPS NEVADA BOSS KEITH KIZER ACROSS HIS MUG
When explaining that the UFC has no say about the judges assigned by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Rogan said, “this is just another example of utter and complete incompetence on behalf of the judges and it will not stop until judges are educated in the sport.” He also went on to say, “This is the type of thing that can give a black eye to the sport of Mixed Martial Arts because people will start to believe MMA (like boxing) is corrupt.”
“JUMPIN’ JOE” RIGHT TO GO AFTER KIZER’S JUDGES
I am in total agreement with Rogan on this topic. I’ve been critical of MMA judging in the past and have stated openly that the main problem is education. Not enough “MMA people” are involved in judging these fights. It’s usually people experienced and licensed to judge boxing, which is only one facet of the sport. Also, scoring the ground game has not been clearly defined, thus to the novice eye, the person on top is generally construed as winning.
SOON VEGAS JUDGES WILL RUIN MMA LIKE THEY DID BOXING
Until these issues get corrected, we will continue to have scenarios where bad judging supersedes KO’s and decisions in exciting fights. I think Nam Phan summed it up best when Rogan asked him in the post fight interview what he was thinking upon hearing the judges decision, “I was thinking, can’t an Asian brother get some love.”
“Slammin’ Sammy” Perez