UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs Arlovski - May 8th

[Supremo]

 

He may have provided the most entertaining antics at the weigh ins, but I really hope Norman Parke gets knocked out tonight. He's easily one of the least likeable fighters on the roster. Every time I've met him or seen him in person he's been a dickhead and last I checked he's even worse on social media.

I've never warmed to him either. It's weird because I don't remember even really noticing him when he was on The Smashes, much less be annoyed by him. But since the show finished I've wanted him to lose every time I've seen him fight. He's just not likeable in the slightest and I haven't even met him, I'm just basing it on what I've seen on telly or online interviews and stuff.

 

What happened when you met him then?

He's just a smug, smarmy, creepy dickhead. At that Dublin Q&A thing earlier this year (the one where Conor grabbed Aldo's belt) he stood out massively as the one fighter who wasn't awesome with the fans.

 

All the SBG guys, along with Dan Hardy, stayed for what felt like hours afterwards. Pleasantly chatting and taking photos with everyone, they all looked genuinely thrilled with the reception they got. Aisling Daly in particular looked proper chuffed to be there and couldn't have been nicer or given more of herself. I think in the end it was the security who had to drag her away from the fans, rather than the other way around.

 

Norman Parke on the other hand just had this awful aura of smugness and chaviness about him. First looking like he didn't want to be there and sulking his way through a couple of photos, he then moved on to ignoring people in favour of creeping on women. Then when they were clearing the stage away, which contained a fridge full of energy drinks, every other fighter was happily handing them out to people whereas Norman was asking what people would give him for them. I don't know if he ended up selling them to fans but I wouldn't be surprised. It probably sounds really silly and petty, but being there he came across terrible in contrast to everyone else being such a class act.

[herbie747]

Emotional for Aisling - well done. She turned up in shape!

[METAL ON METAL]

Live chat is banned, Herb.

[herbie747]

Live chat is banned, Herb.

Why? It's the topic for the event.

[lambyUK]

 

 

Live chat is banned, Herb.

Why? It's the topic for the event.

Live chat on any thread on this forum ain't allowed as far as I'm aware.

[herbie747]

Fair enough - wasn't aware, but I can see how it'd be annoying.

[lambyUK]

Fair enough - wasn't aware, but I can see how it'd be annoying.

It doesn't bother me to be honest Herb. But I know its pretty much a no no across the whole of the forum unfortunately.

[Keith Houchen]

unfortunately.

Nah, it is shit. It clogs up threads with nothing posts. If it was allowed we would end up with page after page of shit posts like "nice takedown" "wow" and bollocks like that.

 

Use the chat room for live chat.

[lambyUK]

 

unfortunately.

Nah, it is shit. It clogs up threads with nothing posts. If it was allowed we would end up with page after page of shit posts like "nice takedown" "wow" and bollocks like that.

 

Use the chat room for live chat.

The unfortunate comment was for Herb and not a defence for the use of live chat.

[wandshogun09]

Gutted for Holohan but what a fuck of a fight. Probably one of my favourite fights this year. Non-stop movement and offence from Smolka. Holohan hung with him early but he seemed to be just drowning under Smolka's pace as the fight wore on. Impressive finish for Smolka as well.

 

Dan Hardy: Where do you go from here?

Paddy Holohan: I'm gonna have a cup of tea.

The whole main card was good actually. Apart from - what a surprise - Norman Parke's fight. Madadi is usually quite exciting to watch as well. Parke just seems to drag exciting fighters into snoozers. It was the same with his boring fight with Freakshow at the TUF: Smashes finale.

 

Really enjoyed Dalby vs Till. The last round especially. And Seery vs Delos Reyes was a good main card opener.

 

Didn't see the prelims but read that Daly won and got a huge crowd reaction. Shame that wasn't on the main card over Borin' Norman. And Breese smashed Pendred's face.

[jimufctna24]

Been a while since I have seen drinks thrown into the octagon after a fight. Luckily, it was only brief.  I watched on delay, so I could flick through adverts. I pretty much agree with the above. 3 fights delivered, 1 didn't. 

 

It's a shame, as after the weigh-in video, I was most looking forward to Parke and Madadi. 

[wandshogun09]

Claudia Gadelha wasn't impressed with Aisling Daly's performance, apparently...

 

 

Wouldn't mind seeing that fight. Gadelha should really be in Valerie Letourneau's spot against Jedrzejczyk at UFC 193, but I guess she's got bills to pay and doesn't want to wait around.

[Supremo]

Most heartbreaking main event finish since Gustaffson lost in Sweeden. Poor Paddy. He looked really good in the first round but the difference in skill, particularly in striking, became more evident as the second round went on. It certainly felt like the moment got to him a bit and he was rushing for things.

 

Fucking hell though, what a post-fight promo! Saying he was going for a cup of tea and always promising to give the fans everything he has, it's arguable that promo did more for his stock than a win would have. Such a ridiculously likeable guy.

 

A good show overall. Loads of fun fights and an awesome crowd as always.

 

A shame Norman Parke won. Was really hoping this would be the loss that got him cut from the promotion.

[wandshogun09]

Yeah it was the kind of fight that sort of made both Holohan and Smolka in a way. Holohan went out on his shield and was great post-fight. And Smolka rose to the challenge, going into Holohan's backyard and stopping him. The finish was BJ Penn 101 as well - overwhelming with punches from mount and finishing with the rear naked choke. In a division that is often lifeless and lacking in any interest whatsoever, these two raised the bar a bit last night for me. Definitely one of the best flyweight fights in UFC history.

[wandshogun09]

Next Fight Night is in two weeks from São Paulo, Brazil.

 

 

FOX SPORTS 1 MAIN CARD

Vitor Belfort vs Dan Henderson

Glover Teixeira vs Patrick Cummins

Thomas Almeida vs Anthony Birchak

Alex Oliveira vs Piotr Hallmann

Gilbert Burns vs Rashid Magomedov

Fabio Maldonado vs Corey Anderson

 

FOX SPORTS 1 PRELIMS

Gleison Tibau vs Abel Trujillo

Yan Cabral vs Johnny Case

Clay Guida vs Thiago Tavares

Kevin Souza vs Chas Skelly

 

FIGHT PASS PRELIMS

Viscardi Andrade vs Gasan Umalatov

Pedro Munhoz vs Jimmie Rivera

Bruno Rodrigues vs Matheus Nicolau Pereira

 

Look at that poster. The only one of the four guys on there who can still grow a full head of hair and he opts for a terrible mohawk. Vintage Vitor.

 

Nothing amazing on this card but I quite like it. There's enough there to keep me interested.

 

 

Belfort vs Hendo 3 tops the bill. It's a rubber match no-one was clamouring for. To be honest, I'd rather have seen either of these two rematch Bisping or something. But ah, why not? At this point neither guy is in the title picture, they've both had very mixed results lately, fuck it. It should be exciting while it lasts, if nothing else.

 

They first met all the way back in 2006 in Pride;

 

 

Henderson took the decision that night fairly comfortably, as I recall. It wasn't the best fight from what I remember. Belfort was in a career slump at the time and Hendo pretty much just shut him down with his wrestling. This was the fight where Belfort first popped for steroids as well.

 

The rematch didn't come until 2013;

 

 

This time it was a complete reversal of fortunes. At this point it was Hendo who was off form and Vitor was on fire in full TRT mode. He destroyed Hendo in just over a minute, catching him coming in with a picture perfect left uppercut before putting him out with a big headkick...

 

 

That was the first time Hendo had ever been stopped by strikes.

 

And here we are. Belfort vs Hendo Part III. It's a bit of an odd one to call. Vitor's adjusting to life without TRT and is coming off a first round TKO loss to Chris Weidman. And Hendo is 45 years old, 3-5 in his last 8 fights and looking on his last legs despite the feel-good KO win over Tim Boetsch last time out.

 

I'm up for this fight now it's close though. Two legends, two KO artists and they're tied at 1-1. Might as well settle the score.

 

Vitor Belfort highlight;

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&persist_app=1&v=Vp7giqxPToo

 

And I fucking love this Hendo highlight;

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&persist_app=1&v=ItvpJaStpsg

 

"Why would I hold him down when I could just stare him down?" - Hendo

 

I think Vitor KOs him again.

 

But really, fuck knows? At this stage in their careers there are different variables that come into play, I think. Whoever got through camp less banged up and shows up in form on the night probably takes it.

 

 

Teixeira vs Cummins isn't a fight that excites me too much. Cummins is just a bit too much of a one trick pony for me. He's got raw talent and he's a tremendous wrestler but his striking and submissions are way behind. I'm hoping Glover wins. But Phil Davis laid out the blueprint for how to shut Glover down with wrestling. It'll be interesting to see if Glover's improved in that respect. I think Glover should win as he's the better all-round fighter with more tools, but if he doesn't have an answer for Cummins' wrestling, it's probably going to be a long, miserable night for him.

 

 

Almeida vs Birchak should be a good one. Thomas Almeida is a proper potential contender in the making. He's only 24 years old but he's 20-0 with 19 finishes. Lethal and creative striker, strong grappling with a BJJ brown-belt. He's a beast. He's starting to really break through now as well after his highlight reel KO win over Brad Pickett at UFC 189...

 

 

Couldn't ask for much better exposure than that. Opening the main card of the biggest PPV of the year so far and he wins by flying knee KO!

 

Anthony Birchak is no-one to overlook though. He'll be the underdog but he's dangerous in his own right and is coming off a first round KO win over Joe Soto, who gave TJ Dillashaw a good fight on short notice.

 

Oliveira vs Hallmann could be decent. Can't say I'm that arsed about it but they've both had a couple of solid wins in the UFC. Oliveira submitted KJ Noons and Hallmann submitted Yves Edwards and Francisco Trinaldo.

 

 

Burns vs Magomedov might be the sleeper on this card for me. Really interesting one.

 

Gilbert Burns is a BJJ black-belt and BJJ world champion. He's one of the best pure grapplers in the UFC, regardless of weight class. He also has an MMA record of 10-0 with 9 finishes and trains at the Blackzilians camp. Rashid Magomedov is 19-1. Another granite Russian with a range of skills. Background in sambo and he also has some solid boxing. Former M-1 welterweight champ.

 

It's a good fight this. Nice mix of styles.

 

 

Fabio Maldonado is back. The 'Iron Hillbilly'. Insanely tough albeit one dimensional. He's pretty much just a chubby boxer. But I love watching him fight. Probably the best body puncher in MMA at the moment as well. Watching him work the body is a thing of beauty. He just saps the life out of his opponents with his body shots. Whereas his opponent Corey 'Beastin' 25/8' Anderson sapped the life out of me in his last fight, decisioning Jan Blachowicz. What the fuck is 'Beastin' 25/8' anyway?

 

 

Prelims are alright. Tibau vs Trujillo is a nice styles clash. And Guida vs Tavares could be awesome if Clay fancies turning the clock back and pretending it's 2007 again.

 

Not a bad little card at all.