UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs Arlovski - May 8th

[Dead Mike]

Poor Diego, he'll end up having that surgery like Wandy did due to scar tissue. Bet he bleeds just rubbing in moisturiser.

[Carbomb]

Poor Diego, he'll end up having that surgery like Wandy did due to scar tissue. Bet he bleeds just rubbing in moisturiser.

 

Yeah, his left brow looks like it's his "Flair Tit".

[wandshogun09]

 

Where's Diego's meanmug gone? Doesn't look right at all, him smiling during a staredown.

 

I think we're in for another mental fight here. I think Pearson wins but I could see Diego giving him the odd scare. And he's not going to fuck off with the pressure so it should be non-stop excitement. They're both too aggressive for anything else.

 

I'd rather this was the headliner to be honest. Benson-Khabilov is a fight where more seems at stake so I get why they've put it on top, but I think Sanchez vs Pearson is the fight on this card for most people. Plus Sanchez is the man in Albuquerque. It's almost a hometown fight for him. Bendo and Khabilov are going to have a hard act to follow tonight, I think. The crowd could be spent after the co-main given the type of fight it could be and Diego being the sort of adopted hometown fighter. Plus, I wouldn't have minded seeing Benson in a three rounder for a change. Might have brought out a more urgent side to him.

 

I've got a feeling we're going to be saying tomorrow - 'Fuck, I wish Diego vs Pearson was the main event so we'd have got five rounds'.

[Egg Shen]

homeboy takes his licks that's for sure.

[wandshogun09]

Just looked up this card again, I forgot just how good it is. Top two fights aside - Dodson vs Moraga could be a cracking fight. Dos Anjos vs High likewise. Perez vs Mr Tate has war potential. Yves Edwards and Scott Jorgensen are usually good value. And I keep forgetting Sergio Pettis is fighting tonight. It'll be interesting to see how he bounces back from his first loss. All that and then you have Sanchez vs Pearson and Henderson vs Khabilov.

 

For a Fight Night, this is really an excellent bunch of fights. I'd say this card on its own looks much better than the Germany and Brazil shows last week combined.

[lambyUK]

For a fight night it is a good card, however you have to remember this is also a Fox card. This is their flag ship channel and I would actually say its quite weak on star power for a fox broadcast.

 

Still, I'm really looking forward to it, and to paraphrase David, I hope to see Henderson knocked out real bad.

[wandshogun09]

This is on FOX Sports 1 though, like Miocic vs Maldonado was last week. With former champ Bendo, Diego Sanchez, Ross Pearson etc, I'd say the star power is alright for FS1, it's not like it's on 'Big FOX', as Dana calls it. The stars are usually reserved for PPV and Big FOX anyway. I think this is strong for FS1. Some former champs, former title challengers, some prospects, and a bunch of well matched fights.

 

I'm not sure with Bendo vs Khabilov. My gut says Benson on points (let's be honest, if it goes to the judges, Bendo seems to always come out on top), but Khabilov is a bit of an unknown entity. He looked fantastic against Masvidal but this is a big step up. Really interesting fight. I'd love to see Khabilov pull off the upset. A win over Bendo would put him right in the title hunt.

[METAL ON METAL]

Mediocre show really, but fuck me what an awful decision. Pearson got robbed.

 

When asked what Sanchez did right in this fight, Gilbert Melendez got it right saying "he fought in his hometown".

[herbie747]

Is Khabilov the same guy that Melendez was supposed to be fighting before he "signed" with Bellator? The guy everyone was supposedly afraid of. Or was that a different Russian guy? I get mixed up with them.

 

Pearson was ripped off completely.

[METAL ON METAL]

Nah, that was the more accomplished/impressive Khabib Nurmagomedov.

[herbie747]

Nah, that was the more accomplished/impressive Khabib Nurmagomedov.

 

Ah yes, it was the "Khab" that threw me. So what's Nurmagomedov up to then?

[Mr Tibbs]

Mediocre show really, but fuck me what an awful decision. Pearson got robbed.

 

When asked what Sanchez did right in this fight, Gilbert Melendez got it right saying "he fought in his hometown".

 

A re-match between Pearson and Sanchez would be a great main event for a UK show. Over 5 rounds and pushed as the Englishman searching for justice you could easily sell out the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle. Because Pearson is from the North the crowd would be white hot too. Would make sense seeing as last nights match was in Sanchez's back garden.

[wandshogun09]

Ah yes, it was the "Khab" that threw me. So what's Nurmagomedov up to then

 

Nothing booked yet. They wanted him vs Jim Miller for next months FOX show (the one that's ended up being Lawler vs Brown), but he's taking a break for Ramadan around then. Nate Diaz has turned the fight down twice I think. It's funny but a few fighters have even mixed up Khabilov and Khabib. When Rafael Dos Anjos was meant to fight Khabilov a few months back he even said he thought he was fighting Khabib. And Bendo thought he was fighting Khabib at some point on this show as well.

 

Actually, that's what I'd like to see next. Benson Henderson vs Khabib Nurmagomedov. Could be a great fight, and for me, it should be a #1 contender fight. All Khabib is missing is a win over one of the big names in the division, a win over Bendo would cement him as #1 for the winner of Pettis vs Melendez. If Bendo beat Khabib, fuck it, I actually think he'd have earned another title shot. It's tricky with him being 0-2 to Pettis but if he stops Khabib's undefeated streak, after wins over Khabilov and Thomson, I'd have no problem with him getting another crack. Even if Pettis is still champ. Who'd have earned it more?

 

I thought it was a really fun show myself. Sanchez vs Pearson was actually the biggest disappointment of the card for me.

 

I thought Bendo vs Khabilov was excellent. That looked more like the Bendo from the WEC and early UFC fights. Sure, Khabilov is a step down from some of the guys Bendo has been fighting but that was a great performance. He was more aggressive from the off I thought. I still think Khabilov could go on to be one of the top guys. This just felt like he wasn't quite ready for the step up. Great finish as well.

 

Pearson vs Sanchez wasn't the awesome fight I thought it'd be. It was still pretty good and it had its moments, but nothing special. That decision though??? What the FUCK was that? I had Pearson comfortably winning every round. He dropped Diego, he landed more strikes in every round, more significant strikes in every round, I think he got a takedown. Even the 'Sanchez came forward more/was more aggressive' thing is bollocks. Sanchez only threw 12 more strikes than Pearson. And the stats have him throwing 134 overall, and missing 101. He spent a fair bit of time backing up and not engaging as well. He'd only come forward in short bursts where he mostly hit air. You shouldn't get points for being aggressive against air. Only what lands.

 

Pearson got fucking mugged. End of. I'm usually hesitant to call a decision a flat-out robbery but this was a robbery. The one judge got it right. Marcos Rosales, the most experienced of the three. The other two fucked up big. Especially the incompetent berk who scored it Sanchez 30-27. Fuck Wandy and Belfort, let's start random testing these senile old cunts, shall we?

 

Dean Amasinger even said on twitter that Diego's own coaches thought Pearson won and were congratulating Pearson after the fight. Now Sanchez is saying "100% I won" or some shite. He admitted the 30-27 was ridiculous though.

 

I feel really bad for Pearson. He did everything right and got fucked by two idiots who aren't fit to judge Crufts. Pearson said after the fight - "It just sucks. I feel like I lost half a paycheck. These judges don't lose half a paycheck". That's spot on really isn't it? They've fucked him out of half his money because they don't know what the shit they're doing. But they still get their money despite being as useless as GAD's journalism.

 

Fair play to Kenny Florian for immediately calling bullshit on the decision as well - "Those judges should be ashamed".

 

Dodson looked really good. Bit tentative at times but once he hurt Moraga it was a wrap. That knee was brutal. Just smashed Moraga's nose. Felt bad for Moraga because it seemed like he was just starting to get into the fight, but that's what Dodson's power can do.

 

Dodson did exactly what I said I hoped he'd do as well with the post-fight callout. More flyweights need to step up like this and be vocal. Everyone seems happy to just plod along and if a title shot comes it comes, if not they almost seem content with being an 'also ran'. I can't stand Dodson, he's an irritating little weird faced twat and his shouty interview made me want someone to slap him purple - but that's how you go about getting a title shot. Finished the fight spectacularly, called out the champ after. And it didn't hurt that it was in his backyard and the crowd were lapping it up. In a division full of nice guys and personality black holes, Dodson at least stands out. Flyweight needs more dickheads.

 

Dos Anjos was great. Stoppage looked a bit early to me but aside from that, I thought RDA was on top form. His BJJ is great to watch. He's always working and threatening with something. His stand up has come a long, long way since Jeremy Stephens Tiger Uppercutted him dead back in 2008 or 2009 or whenever it was. He's a really good fighter. I don't think he's got enough to get over that hump against the very top guys but I think he beats everyone at 155 bar a select few at the very elite like Pettis, Melendez, Khabib, Bendo.

 

I'd fucking love to see Dos Anjos vs Jim Miller next, if Miller beats Cowboy in a few weeks.

 

Caraway vs Perez was a fun fight. Thought Perez was starting to run away with it but Caraway's grappling was just too slick. This was dirty as fuck though...

 

 

Fishhooking fucker.

 

Yves Edwards looks about done to me Pettis vs Meza was lackluster, glad to see Pettis back in the win column though and I think the criticism on his performance is a tad harsh. He's still only 20, he's only going to improve. Thought Jorgensen vs Martinez was a cracking fight. FOTN for me.

 

Mel bastard Gibson showed up as well in case you didn't spot him;

[jimufctna24]

I missed the show

 

How did Perason vs Sanche robbery compare to Garcia vs Phan? Worse robbery, or about even?

[wandshogun09]

How did Perason vs Sanche robbery compare to Garcia vs Phan? Worse robbery, or about even?

 

Hard to say because Phan vs Garcia 1 is hazy to me. I remember the rematch more. I'd say the Pearson vs Sanchez decision is at least as bad, probably even worse from my recollection. I honestly can't recall a worse decision in quite some time.

 

It wasn't that Sanchez never had the odd moment, or that Pearson was fucking him up or anything - it wasn't really that type of fight. But there is really no justification, no argument that can be made, to score the fight for Sanchez. And especially not fucking 30-27!

 

Pearson outworked him at every turn, outlanded him significantly, avoided significant damage himself and rendered Diego's attacks largely ineffective, kept him on the backfoot a lot, punished him or made him hit air when he did bullrush, dropped him once. It was just so clear who won that it leaves only one of two reasons for the decision - either a) someone is corrupt, or b) the judges were woefully inept. I think it's definitely B. The crowd were with Diego as you'd expect so all I can think is the judges were swayed by that. Which is obviously a completely ridiculous way to score a fight.

 

Again, Marcos Rosales got it right with a 30-27 Pearson score. He shouldn't be lumped in with the other two incompetents. But it's crazy to think how anyone who's ever even watched a fight could've scored that one for Sanchez. The odds of two of the selected judges doing that is even more baffling. What are the chances of finding two people to judge the same fight, who are that inept?