LIDDELL BEAT AGAIN: UFC 76 POST-FIGHT REPORT

Posted on | September 23, 2007 | 2 Comments

UFC 76

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FIGHT 1: Tyson Griffin vs. Thiago Thavares – (LIGHTWEIGHT) –

Griffin is from Couture’s camp in Vegas. Thavares is coming off a win against Jason Black. The Fighters start by feeling each other out. Griffin starts with a strong leg kick. Goes to ground with Griffin in guard and throws a good punch. Back up clinched against cage. Still clinched. Thiago trips Griffin but Grifin stays on top. Ends in the clinch not too much action. Randy says in Griffin’s corner he had a good round. Tells him to throw some elbows.

ROUND 2 – Thiago throws a flying knee beautifully and shakes up Griffin right at the start. Now Thiago on top of Griffin in the corner. Griffin is almost up, but Thiago gets him back down. Thiago on Griffin’s back. Griffin stands with Thiago hanging on his back in body triangle. Griffin stands with Thiago on his back for about 30 seconds. He finally gets him to the ground safely almost gets caught in an armbar but Thavares couldn’t hold it. Griffin did an excellent job there. Now on top he lands some punches to Thiago’s face. Thiago has side control gets his back AGAIN. AGAIN Griffin stands up with stands up with Thiago on his back but slams him on his head this time. Beautiful move by Griffin. Round ends with Griffin throwing blows in Thiago’s gaurd. GREAT ROUND.

ROUND 3 – Big mouse under Thiago’s eye. Thiago gets Griffin in uma plata position but Griffin spins out of it beautifully and spins around the back of Thiago to the cheers of the crowd. Back on their feet Clinched….Griffin throws couple of nasty elbows that connect. Ends on the ground with both men scrambling back and forth with various submission attempts. I would give this fight to Griffin….we’ll see what the judges say……..Unanimous for TYSON GRIFFIN. This is Thiago Thavares’s first loss.

FIGHT 2: Lyoto Machida vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura – (LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT)

Nakamora makes a ummmm…..grand entrance carrying none other than a Parisol (umbrella). ROUND 1 – Hmmmmmmmm…..round is over…..nothing eventful at all except one high kick to the head by Machida.

ROUND 2 – Machida comes out aggressive with punches takes Nakamora to ground gets Nakamora’s back….Nakamora spins to gaurd…..Machida throws elbows…..Nakamora spins and Machida get his back again almost gets a rear naked choke but Nakamora gets out…..they stand up clinch…..back to ground Machida on top with some ground and pound…..flurry of punches….Nakamora gets up somehow though….clinched…..knee by Mahida…still clinched…knee from Machida…both throw punches…nice punch my Machida as Nakamora throws kick. Nakamora is not being very aggressive at all. He does get a trip on Machida now and has Machida on his back. He tries to throw a couple of punches but not much.

ROUND 3 – Nakamora more aggressive now…lands a punch. Clinched now…..knees by Machida….Machida trips Nakamora down….doing some ground and pound….elbows and body punches…..Nakamora rolls and gets up….he has to do something….comes forward but Machida lands a solid punch now Nakamora bleeding from the nose. Knees from Machida…clinched…elbow from Machida…knees…still clinched and still dirty boxing from both…Machida gets a trip takedown as the bell rings. Machida had to of win this in my opinion……but we’ll see………..30-27 all three judges for Machida.

FIGHT 3: Diego Sanchez vs. Jon Fitch – (WELTERWEIGHT) –

An intense Staredown. Diego looks pumped. Djiego Flies out but gets stuffed from trying a takedown. Clinched. Knees from Diego. Diego looking for takedown. But that’s going nowhere. Diego finally gets a takedown. A very slow takedown but Fitch comes right back with a takedown. He’s on top. Open guard. Closed Guard. Open guard. Closed Guard..Looking for armbar by Diego. Fitch throwing punches to body. Diego still on bottom. Diego looking for submissions but Fitch pounds his face. This is intense.

ROUND 2 – Deigo goes for takedown but Fitch lands on top. Fitch kicks but Deigo catches it and takes him down. Fitch looking for submissions Dieigo scambles. Deigo gets on Fitch’s back and Fitch slams him…nice. they scramble….Fitch on top…both men are hungry. Fitch lands a good hammerfist on Deigo’s face. Deigo is bleeding from that hammerfist.

ROUND 3 – Lots of scrambling, grappling, submission attempts. Diego had a deep guillotine on Fitch at one point………..and also a deep triangle at one point. Fitch landed some punches from the top but I think Deigo got the third round with the submission attempts. Stayed on the ground most of if not entire round. Judges taking awhile. Cecil 30-27 Fitch 30-28 Sanchez, 29-28 Fitch….Split Decision to FITCH. Cecil Peoples gave it a 30-27 which there’s no way Fitch won that third round but anyway. Fitch wins it.

FIGHT 4 – Forrest Griffin vs. Shogun Hua (LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT) – Forrest may well be in over his head…..maybe not. Forrest looking good. Shogun’s in Forrest’s guard right now. Shogun stands up to posture but Forrest controls him. Forrest controlling and not receiving damage. Forrest was able to get to his feet. Leg kick Forrest Shogun pushing forward. Forrest gets the trip and takes Shogun down. Both on their feet now. Big knot on Shogun’s head from Forrest. Shogun gets Forrest down. Trying to pass gaurd. Forrest gets on top. Forrest does a GREAT job and probably won the round.

ROUND 2 – Shogun in Forrest’s guard. Elbow from Shogun. Big right hand froom Shogun….Griffin bleeding. Shogun takes Hua down though. They’re both on their feet. Griffin stuffs a takedown. Shogun is UNBELIEVABLEY TIRED….. And Forrest is pounding him from the back and top. BUT Forrest is also tired but NOT as tired as Shogun. Great round and I think Forrest won it man…..

ROUND 3 – Shogun in Forrest’s guard. Forrest in half gaurd throwing elbows and punches to Shoguns face. Lots of elbows. Randy has predicted Forrest to win. Forrest is doing some good ground and pound. He has Shogun’s back now…Shogun has to be gassed. Shogun is covering up on the ground. Now Forrest is in is half gaurd now raining down ground and pound. One minute to go. Forrest trying to get full mount. Forrest has choked him out with a rear naked choke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOD SHOUGN HAS SUBMITTED!!!!!!!!!!!! with about 20 seconds left.

on a side note here: Bruce Buffer has a new strange thing when he announces a fighter he flicks his head really quick toward them and points like a “quick draw” announcement…..strange and looks funny…..

FIGHT 5 – Chuck Liddell vs. Keith Jardine (LIGHT HEAVEYWEIGHT) – And Randy Couture just picked Liddell to win. Goldberg put him on the spot and asked him the question…..so will Randy keep up his picks…..

ROUND 1 – Chuck didn’t even look in Jardine’s eyes in the “staredown”. Here we go. Will we make it to round 2……….lots of punches thrown by both and leg kicks by Jardine….Jardien hit about 4 of those leg kicks on Chuck. Chuck landed some good blows too.

ROUND 2 – Jardine landed another kick this time to the body. Jardine knocked Chuck to the ground with a right. Body kick to Chuck’s body. Jardine looks very confident now and waving Chuck in. Jardine is throwing those big overhand rights. Jardine is outscoring Chuck Liddell. Jardine landing alot of kicks. Jardine is bleeding tough. Chucks’ waist is raw from the kicks. Chuck tries a spinning back fist. Chuck went to the wrong corner after the round…..he must be weary…..

ROUND 3 – Jardine has thrown about 20 leg kicks and landed EVERY ONE. Chuck looks terrible I hate to say it. Chuck just lets Jardine kick him over and over. Chuck just wants to knock Jardine out and is ONLY looking for that. I say JARDINE WINS BUT WE KNOW THESE DAMN JUDGES…..lets see……..no doubt Jardine won but can they really give a decision to Jardine over Chuck???? If they give this to Chuck…it’s a big setup…….for sure………JARDINE GOT A SPLIT DECISION FAIR AND SQUARE……… I don’t even know how it was a split but oh well…..the guy got it. Jardine was VERY classy and gave Chuck alot of credit and said he was actually seeing stars the whole first round.

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