Yes, He's Canadian
So Saturday night was another big UFC PPV, and yes, it was another fantastic show that keeps MMA head and shoulders above boxing.
UFC 87 was billed as one of the deepest cards in recent history, as 3 fights were on the card that could be considered main event level matches, and all three went the distance.
The first of which was Kenny Florian and Roger Huerta, which saw KenFlow take it to the SI cover boy and win decidedly in by decision. I didn't get to really watch this fight as much as the others because of a the distance I was from the TV at the bar I watched it from.
As my party got smaller at the bar, me and bizzle decide to get closer for the other two fights, and found a table much better suited for watching the fights.
After a couple of fights from people i didn't know very well, both knockouts, both entertaining, the "double main event" was ready to get rolling.
As a fan of WWE, and well pro wrestling in general, I was skeptical when I heard former WWE champ Brock Lesner was going to become a MMA fighter, but I was intrigued. His first fight saw him come out of the gate swinging, and then punching on his opponent and pummeling him with his brick like fists, but one of his shots landed on the back of the head, and the ref stood the fighters up to dock Lesner a point, and then the savvy vet Frank Mir caught the big guy in a ankle lock.
While the end result may have been what most MMA experts thought would happen, Lesner getting submitted, even the most hardcore MMA guys thought Lesner looked good in his opening fight till he was docked that point.
That brought us to last Saturday, where Lesner got his second chance in the UFC, and needed to win to continue to be a big draw. And win he did. In the first 30 seconds or so his fight with Heath Herring, Lesner Landed a straight right square on Herring's cheeking, sending his flying backward about 20 feet. It was almost like a cartoon punch. Lesner swung, connected, and Herring was sent flying over backward. To Herring credit, he recovered quickly, and avoided a knockout, but Lesner continued to pound on the guy over and over, using his 15 pound weight advantage to smother Herring on the ground for the better part of the three rounds.
Lesner still has a long way to go, but he won this fight, and looked good doing it.
Then it was time for the real main event, George St. Perrie vs. Jon Fitch, for the welterweight championship strap. GSP is thought of as one of the best fighters in the world, of any weight class, and against of the hottest MMA stars today (Fitch had won 8 or 9 straight UFC fights) GSP proved all the experts right. From the opening bell, GSP dominated this fight. He knocked Fitch around early, and then took him to the ground for some classic GSP ground work. After the first round was over, Fitch was bloodied and GSP didn't even look tired.
Despite the lopsided decision, 50-43, 50-44, 50-44, for GSP, i will say this for John Fitch, the guy can take a punch. 4 or 5 times during that fight, GSP connected with fantastic shots that should have ended the fight, but every time Fitch would recover and continue.
Overall it was one of the better Cards that I've seen in awhile, but not the best. Look forward to Liddel/Evans next month.
