MMAVu

Spoiler Alert!!

So the show wraps up with a bang, featuring all the semi-final fights in two shows.

First up, we get Ryan Bader vs Eliot Marshal at 205lbs. Bader has been built up as Team Nogueira’s big threat, the first pick, etc…but he didn’t impress me at all this fight. He traded a few shots with Marshal, ate a stiff jab, then worked the take downs non-stop. And I mean, NON-STOP. That’s about all he did, hold Eliot down and “won” on points. This sort of fighter hurts the sport. I wanted to fast forward.

Next, we have Phillipe Nover vs. George Roop at 155lbs. Nover is a beast and comes out with guns blazing. He bounces a few glancing shots off Roop’s head and takes him down. Roop manages to use the cage and get on top of Nover, but Nover has a hold of Roop’s arm and doesn’t let go, eventually sinking in a nasty-looking kimura.

The second show…I missed the first fight of Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Vinny Magalhaes at 205lbs. An interesting thing to note is that they’re Team Mir team mates, as well as Team Quest team mates back home. Vinny “catches” Krzystof in an arm bar after a sloppy fight.

The last fight was the most rewarding, Junie Browning vs. Efrain Escudero at 155lbs. There’s nothing better than watching an idiot with a big mouth getting beat down into submission by the guy he lipped off to. Junie breaks mentally and appears to offer his neck to Efrain for a fight-ending choke.

Overall, a decent season. I hope they lay off on the drama-queen type characters and choose fighters for the next season. The finale goes down December 13, live at the Palms in Las Vegas, but before then, we get to see another free card, “UFC: Fight for the Troops” on December 10th. Lastly this month, we get to see the coaches go at it on December 27, at UFC 92: Ultimate 2008. You heard it here first, Nogeuira by submission!!

And they’re good ones.

Main Event 1A: Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs Frank Mir

The UFC decided to use season 8 of the reality show to build this one.  It’s for the interim heavyweight strap and should be a great scrap, but it lost a bit of its lustre when the self-exiled heavyweight champion Randy Couture made an unexpected return to the organization and announced he was facing Brock Lesnar. No matter, Nogueira is a gamer and this will be a good scrap.

Main Event 1B: Forrest Griffin vs Rashad Evans

Griffin has become arguably the most popular fighter in the UFC. He is the original Ultimate Fighter and a true rags to riches story. Evans meanwhile, has officially shed his “boring, plodding, unable to finish”, at least in my book anyways. He put on decent fights, but they always felt a bit slow, and he would just seem to do enough to win by decision, dating back to his first fight on TUF 2, where he won all his fights by decision. No longer, as Evans’ last win, a sudden knockout of Chuck Liddell, would even make Kenny “I finish fights!!” Florian blush with girlish glee.

Main Event 1C: Quinton Rampage Jackson vs Wanderlei Silva

Oh man, this is going to be good. Personally, I’m looking forward to this one the most. Jackson will be looking to avenge his two KOs at the hands of Silva, but inside the cage this time. As well, what better way to get his suddenly stalled career (loss the 205lb title, got arrested, sent for mental evaluation) back on track then to defeat Silva? Silva will look to build on his 36 second mauling of Keith Jardine from UFC 84 in May.

Gotta love these loaded year end cards.