MMASWISSNEWS.COM: Franklin knocks Liddell ice cold at UFC 115

By Guilherme Cruz

Photo Josh Hedges

Saturday night (12) was not a good one for Chuck Liddell’s fans. Needing the win to keep up with his career on UFC, the former champion of the light heavyweight athlete changed his main strategy and went for it against Rich Franklin, who for many years dominated the middleweight of the Ultimate. But it was according to the strategy that once was Liddell’s best shot that brought the win to Franklin.

The Mohawk started spectacularly, moving forward and giving a good sequence of punches and kicks. Rich responded well this trade of punches, and Liddell clearly was affected by it. Chuck was not intimidated and continually went forward. He would win the first round by points, but he wanted more. Chuck trapped Rich on the grid and started blowing him, but Franklin reacted with a strong right-handed punch and knocked out Liddell. He punched his opponent once again before the referee’s intermission.

With a suspect of a broken arm, Rich Franklin celebrated a lot one of the most important wins of his career. With many triumphs over Wanderlei Silva and Chuck Liddell, Rich made it clear that his wish is to dispute the belt of the light heavyweight of UFC, which nowadays is with Maurício Shogun. While Liddell left the octagon without giving an interview to Joe Rogan. His future in not set yet, but last night could have been the last one of the Mohawk inside Ultimate’s octagon. Liddell leaves the UFC’s octagon, but his name is written down in history.

NEVER PLAY WITH CRO COP

Back to the octagon after losing to Junior Cigano, the striker Mirko Cro Cop gave a lesson to the young Pat Barry. A lot less experienced, Pat started devastating his opponent, taking him to the ground twice in less than five minutes. But then he decided to let Cro Cop stand when he noticed he was better on the trade of punches. Big mistake. Mirko smiled, and both hugged each other. Barr, until that moment, was dominating the fight.

The second round begun and, from then on, Cro Cop showed to the young opponent he had a lot to learn. Starting with dangerous kicks, Mirko dominated the actions and concluded the work with an impeccable third round. With a nice sequence of punches and hooks, he brought Pat to the ground of the last round and easily got his back, fitting a rear naked choke and winning the battle. Do never play with Cro Cop.

DANISH DOMINATED PAULO THIAGO

One of the Brazilian’s hopes until 77kg, BOPE’s cop, Paulo Thiago was not on a good night yesterday against the Danish Martin Kampmann. Keeping his distance on the beginning of the duel with certain jabs, the Danish was better also on the ground, where he even scared the Brazilian with a katagatami and rear naked chokes. The scene repeats itself on the two following rounds, and the judges decided in favor of Kampmann, who beat the Brazilian.

“SUPER MARIO” KNOCKS OUT LOISEAU

In the search of his first win of UFC’s cage, Mario Miranda confronted the experienced David Loiseau, and did a good job. After dominating the first round on the trade of punches, Brazilian “Super Mario” brought his opponent to the ground with a sequence of elbowing. On the ground, Miranda tried to fit a rear naked choke, but it was on the ground and pound that he won the fight, punishing his opponent and forcing a referee’s intermission at 4min07s of the second round.

RICARDO LOST FOR THE SECOND TIME ON UFC

Fighting for the second time on Untimate, Ricardo Funch, partner of Gabriel Napão on Tem Link, suffered the second defeat on the American’s octagon, to Claude Patrick. Better on the first round Claude almost submitted his opponent with a guillotine, but the belt rang and saved the Brazilian. But he tried it again and at 1min44s of combat, the Brazilian tapped out.

REFEREE’S MESS CREATES A NEW CONTROVERSY

The referee Yves Lavigne, known by some great messes he did on UFC, showed why he is called by that name and made another great mistake. Matt Wiman had fit a tight guillotine on Mac Danzing, who bravely resisted. Wiman said that his opponent fainted and he referee shook his hand to see if he was conscious. Even after a positive answer of the fighter, Yves decided to interrupt the fight, and Mac’s team got really pissed off.

COMPLETE RESULTS:

UFC 115

Vancouver, Canadá

Saturday, June 12 of 2010

Main card:

- Rich Franklin def. Chuck Liddell by KO at 4min55s of R1;

- Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic def. Patrick Barry by submission (rear naked choke) at 4min30s of R3;

- Martin Kampmann def. Paulo Thiago by unanimous decision;

- Ben Rothwell def. Gilbert Yvel by unanimous decision;

- Carlos Condit def. Rory MacDonald by TKO at 4min52s of R3;

Preliminary card:

- Evan Dunham beat Tyson Griffin by split decision;

- Matt Wiman def. Mac Danzig by submission (guillotine choke) at 1min45s of R1;

- Mario Miranda def. David Loiseau by TKO at 4min07s of R2;

- James Wilks def. Peter Sobotta by unanimous decision;

- Claude Patrick def. Ricardo Funch by submission (guillotine choke) at 1min44s of R2;

- Mike Pyle def. Jesse Lennox by submission (triangle choke) at 4min44s of R3.

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Chuck Liddell é nocauteado no UFC 115

Por Guilherme Cruz

Foto Josh Hedges

A noite deste sábado (12) não foi boa para os fãs de Chuck Liddell. Precisando da vitória para seguir sua carreira no UFC, o ex-campeão dos meio-pesados mudou sua principal característica e partiu para cima de Rich Franklin, que por muitos anos dominou o peso médio no Ultimate. Porém, foi seguindo a estratégia que consagrou Liddell que Franklin conseguiu a vitória.

O moicano começou de maneira espetacular, partindo para cima e desferindo bons socos e chutes. Rich respondeu com bons socos, que balançaram levemente Liddell. Chuck não se intimidou e continuou partindo para cima. Ele venceria o primeiro round por pontos. Mas queria mais. Chuck encurralou Rich na grade e soltou os golpes, mas Franklin reagiu com um cruzado de direita e nocauteou Liddell. Ele ainda deu mais um golpe antes da interrupção do árbitro.

Com suspeita de fratura no braço, Rich Franklin comemorou bastante uma das vitórias mais importantes de sua carreira. Com triunfos sobre Wanderlei Silva e Chuck Liddell, Rich deixou claro que sua vontade é disputar o cinturão até 93kg do UFC, hoje nas mãos de Maurício Shogun. Enquanto isso, Liddell deixava o octagon sem conceder entrevista a Joe Rogan. Seu futuro é incerto, mas esta noite pode ser a última do moicano no Ultimate. Liddell deixa o octagon do Ultimate, mas deixa seu nome gravado na história do MMA.

NUNCA BRINQUE CONTRA CRO COP

De volta ao octagon após perder para Junior Cigano, o striker croata Mirko Cro Cop deu uma grande lição ao jovem Pat Barry. Bem menos experiente, Pat começou de maneira arrasadora, derrubando o croata em knockdown duas vezes em menos de cinco minutos. Mas ele decidiu deixar Cro Cop se levantar ao sentir que estava melhor na trocação. Grande erro. Mirko sorriu, cumprimentou e abraçou seu oponente, que até aquele momento dominava a luta.

O segundo round começou e, a partir daí, Cro Cop mostrou que o jovem adversário tinha muito o que aprender. Começando a soltar os perigosos chutes, Mirko dominou as ações e concluiu o trabalho com um terceiro round impecável. Com uma bela sequência de cruzados e ganchos, o croata levou Pat à lona na segunda metade do round definitivo, chegando facilmente às costas do oponente e encaixando o mata-leão e vencendo a batalha. Nunca brinque contra Cro Cop.

DINAMARQUÊS DOMINA PAULO THIAGO

Uma das esperanças brasileiras até 77kg, o policial do BOPE, Paulo Thiago, não se encontrou no octagon contra o dinamarquês Martin Kampmann. Controlando a distância no começo do duelo com jabs certeiros, o gringo levou a melhor também no chão, chegando a dar um susto no brasileiro com katagatami e mata-leões. O panorama se repete nos rounds seguintes, e os juízes decidem a luta a favor de Kampmann, que vence o brazuca por pontos.

“SUPER MARIO” NOCAUTEIA VETERANO

Em busca da primeira vitória no Cage do UFC, Mario Miranda enfrentou o experiente David Loiseau, e fez bonito. Após dominar o round inicial na trocação, o “Super Mario” brasileiro levou o gringo a knockdown com boas cotoveladas. No chão, Miranda tentou o mata-leão, mas foi no ground and pound que ele definiu a luta, castigando o oponente e forçando a interrupção do combate a 4min07s do segundo assalto.

RICARDO PERDE A SEGUNDA NO UFC

Lutando pela segunda vez no Ultimate, Ricardo Funch, companheiro de Gabriel Napão na Team Link, sofreu o segundo revés no octagon americano, para Claude Patrick. Melhor no primeiro round, Claude quase finalizou a luta com uma guilhotina, mas o gongo soou e salvou a pele do brasileiro. Porém, o gringo atacou com a guilhotina novamente e, com 1min44s de combate, conseguiu os três tapinhas e a vitória.

ÁRBITRO TRAPALHÃO EM NOVA POLÊMICA

O árbitro Yves Lavigne, conhecido pelas grandes trapalhadas que já protagonizou no UFC, aprontou mais uma das suas besteiras no octagon. Matt Wiman encaixou uma justa guilhotina em Mac Danzig, que resistiu bravamente. Wiman diz que o oponente apagou e o árbitro sacode a mão de Danzig para ver se ele estava consciente. Mesmo com a resposta positiva do lutador, Yves decide interromper a luta, para revolta geral da equipe de Mac.

RESULTADOS COMPLETOS:

UFC 115

Vancouver, Canadá

Sábado, 12 de junho de 2010

Card principal:

- Rich Franklin nocauteou Chuck Liddell a 4min55s do R1;

- Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic finaliza Patrick Barry com um mata-leão a 4min30s do R3;

- Martin Kampmann derrotou Paulo Thiago na decisão unânime dos juízes;

- Ben Rothwell derrotou Gilbert Yvel na decisão unânime dos juízes;

- Carlos Condit derrotou Rory MacDonald por nocaute técnico a 4min52s do R3;

Card preliminar:

- Evan Dunham derrotou Tyson Griffin na decisão dividida dos juízes;