The Shogun Screwjob
This past Saturday night, my UFC 104 experience began when I entered the home of former Pride FC play by play commentator Mauro Ranallo. The night started with pizza, beers and the preliminary bouts. While Berry's TKO was a good start, this momentum would diminish following Ryan Bader's inability to finish a fight.
Jumping into the main card, an enormous Anthony Johnson absolutely pulverized Yoshiyuki Yoshida. Although Johnson could not make weight, he did deliver a performance that left the casuals with their jaws on the floor. (Thus far Mr. Ranallo was 1-0 in his UFC 104 main card predictions) Up next, Joe Stevenson climbed ranks with his second straight victory since joining Jackson MMA. (At this point, Ranallo reminded me that he was 2-0 in his predictions) In the second catchweight bout of the night, a much larger Gleison Tibau took on Josh Neer. What I found curious was that Goldberg and Rogan continually sung Neer's praises while Tibau displayed his takedown offense. Tibau managed to spear Neer ten times throughout that fight, I say spear because those takedowns were so explosive; it looked like something straight out of pro wrestling. (Ranallo was on fire tonight with a hat-trick, 3-0)
The co-main event saw heavyweight rising star Cain Velasquez put on a wrestling clinic as he faced the debuting Ben Rothwell. Even with a significant size advantage, Rothwell seemed like a fish out of water, as Velasquez was relentless with his takedowns. If you recall the UFC 104 countdown show, Velasquez divulged his game plan and on Saturday night we saw him carry it out with ease. Rothwell appeared to have been in the best physical shape of his career; still he did not seem to have an answer for Velasquez's merciless takedowns and peppering ground and pound. Though Rothwell and the fans in attendance objected to what they felt was an early stoppage, the reality of matter is that Velasquez would have stuck to his wear down tactics; which would eventually lead to a TKO. The result of this bout puts Velasquez in the title hunt, while Rothwell questions his abilities in finishing top caliber opponents. (Suddenly I heard, "Hey remember what I said on The MMA Show! 4-0 BABY!)
The main event featured two of the biggest names in MMA today. It was the first time two Brazilians battled for the UFC light heavyweight title. Regardless of the outcome, it was a match that carried incredible significance for fans of Brazilian mixed martial arts. All the variables were in place for an epic encounter and the storyline was budging with contrasts between both fighters. It was karate versus muay thai, patience versus aggression and mainstream UFC versus the Pride FC prodigy. Though I have watched many pay-per-views with Mauro Ranallo, I had never seen him this anxious for a fight. Ranallo called Shogun's first fight at Bushido 1 and watched the Curitiba native transform into a legend in the Pride Fighting Championships. As Ranallo put it, "This is it, its Pride's last chance." Would Shogun fall to the UFC's version of a contemporary Bruce Lee, or would he be Pride's redeemer?
Both combatants looked very convincing in their entrances. By watching each fighter's body language, one could see that this bout was the apex of their respective careers. Shogun revealed a different fighter on that night and in many ways gave Machida a taste of his own medicine (not talking about the urine). Shogun demonstrated patience and accuracy, the two qualities that make Machida such a dangerous opponent. In the opening seconds of the first round, Machida managed to land some effective strikes to the head and body. Following an exchange, Shogun began to wear Machida down with body kicks and successive leg kicks. By the end of the first round, Machida's corner applied ice bags to reduce the swelling in the champion's legs. (Ranallo clenched his fist and said, "That's the first round Machida has lost in the UFC!") As the fight continued, Shogun stuck to his conservative game plan that seemed to be working. Though there were a few fistic exchanges, Shogun continued to attack the legs and body of the champion. At the end of the third round, (which Machida arguably won) Machida's legs were red and a big burse had developed on his torso. In the forth round, it was evident that Shogun had indeed solved what was considered by many to be the most intricate puzzle in the 205 pound category. By the end of fifth round, Shogun and his camp raised their arms in celebration. The man who is known for his aggressive onslaughts, played a patient game of chess in the octagon, while playing the role of the underdog.
Both fighters stood in the middle of the octagon, Shogun looking upward, while Machida looked to the canvas in disappointment, waiting to hear the judges' decision. At this moment, the Ranallo household was silent, except for the sounds of incoming congratulatory text messages from various members of the MMA community ("congradulations my friend, you were the only one who said Shogun would win"). I put down my beer and gave Mr. Ranallo props, for accurately predicting all five main card bouts. Ranallo is a professional unbiased news anchor and commentator, but sitting right beside him, I could tell he was ecstatic and a little emotional that Shogun had won this one for Pride.
The verdict was announced and in an instant, the mood changed, not only for those at the Staples Centre, but also for those sitting in Ranallo's living room. Lyoto Machida had retained the UFC light heavyweight title via unanimous decision. Suddenly I heard, "I can't fuckin' believe it, today the sport of MMA suffers a black eye!" these were the words that truthfully summed up the outcomes of this main event. Not only was it an injustice for the fans but more importantly for Mauricio Rua.
Any intelligent mixed martial arts fan knows the true result of the Machida / Shogun fight. As I mentioned earlier, Shogun stuck to a game plan that allowed him to pick Machida apart, it was more than evident that Shogun inflected the most damage and scored the necessary points. Even an informal spectator would agree simply by looking at each fighter's face prior to the bout.
With that in mind, one has to point the finger at the judges. It is not the first time judges spoil an important fight and although some may reference the phrase, "finish the fight, don't leave it in the judges' hands," this argument should not be applicable in a situation where one fighter controls the entire bout (especially in this scenario). It should be obvious that when one fighter is constantly landing strikes, he must be awarded the points. It is essential that these judges be questioned regarding their decision. Furthermore, it should be mandatory that all judges have a solid understanding of the regulations; if they are not fit to make intelligent verdicts then they ought to be removed from the panel. It is 100% unfair for a fighter to sacrifice so much time and be robbed of the ultimate reward. It's the same, as if you were working tirelessly week after week and your co-worker, who does nothing, gets the promotion and you are left with nothing. If this sport is to be taken seriously then the days of faulty judging should be behind us, though controversy can be positive, it should not come from the score cards.
Although the conclusion of this story was ruined, it certainly makes Machida / Shogun 2 an easy sell. One can imagine that UFC president Dana White already sees dollar signs in front of him, and it should only be a matter of time before we hear set time and date (let's just hope the judging changes for the sake of the fighters) In spite of the proceedings, this was still a very important bout for Brazilian MMA, as it put both men in the eye of the mainstream viewer. Each of the fighters learned a lot from each other and one can assume they will only improve upon their return to the octagon. For Lyoto Machida, he knows he attained this victory by the skin of his teeth and furthermore his aura of invincibility has been broken. He will have to go back to the drawing board and reassess his errors. On the other hand, Mauricio Shogun Rua has put the entire light heavyweight division on notice. Truth be told, it's only a matter of time before Mauricio Rua captures the UFC's 205 pound title. Nonetheless, Shogun can hold his head up high and take solace in the fact that he has Machida's number; but unfortunately for Shogun and his camp, October 24th 2009 will always be remembered as the Shogun screwjob.
