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Fight
1 Parisyian launches with a right cross that misses but right away clinches. While clinched, Parisyian does a beautiful judo throw over his right shoulder sending Strasser to the ground. Parisyian delivers a few punches but Strasser gets up and they clinch again, this time Parisyian grabs Strasser in a kimora while standing and falls to his own back sending Strasser over him and with the momentum goes over him and lands in the side mount with the kimora and makes Strasser tap. Great technique by Parisyian.
Fight 2 Rich Franklin vs. Edwin Dewees They meet in the center of the octagon and tie up - Dewees takes Franklin to the ground and almost gets the guillotine choke but Franklin pulls away and gets up. They tie up again - Franklin delivers some great knees to the side of Dewees and Dewees goes down. Franklin doesn’t let up as Dewees lands on the ground. Franklin lands more knees and punches while on the ground and in the top position, the Ref steps in and stops the fight. Franklin wins by TKO by ref stoppage due to punches.
Fight 3 Jorge Rivera vs. David Louiseau They come out to the center and they clinch. Louiseau lands some great elbows to the head of Rivera and opens up a couple of cuts. The ref stops the fight to check the cuts - the doctor gives them the OK. Once again they clinch but both fighters are fighting well from the clinch till the end of the round.
Round 2 This round is the same as the first with the exception that Rivera landed a few great low kicks.
Round 3 Rivera presses the fight - pushing Louiseau to the cage and starts delivering some great body shots - they break apart and Rivera charges at Louiseau, landing a right and a left and a uppercut - Louiseau looks stunned and exhausted but survives and catches his wind – With five seconds to go, Rivera lands some rights and lefts - Louiseau seems to slip as Rivera punches - Louiseau goes down - Rivera keeps punching but the bell rings. Props to Louiseau for raising Riveras hand recognizing who had won the fight. Winner Jorge Rivera by Unanimous Decision.
Fight 4 - Heavyweight Title Bout Champ Tim Sylvia vs. Gan McGee The Two giants touch gloves in the center - Sylvia starts using his jab - it seems to confuse Mcgee. Mcgee is holding his hands too low. Sylvia capitalizes on that by throwing his jab again and then following it up with a straight right that lands right on the kisser - Mcgee is stunned - Sylvia lands another right - this one sends Mcgee down - Sylvia follows it up with right after right while Mcgee is down - the ref steps in and stops the fight.
Fight 5 Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Andrei Arlovski They square off in the center - Arlvoski lands a hard right to Matyushenko's face. Matyushenko wants no part of the stand-up game and he takes Arlvoski down but can’t keep him there - right away, Matyushenko lands his own right - it doesn’t hurt Arlvoski but he does go down. Matyushenko knees Arlvoski to the face. The ref steps in and deducts a point from Matyushenko for kneeing an opponent to the face while he is down. They go at it again, Arlvoski lands a devastating right and an uppercut sending Matyushenko to the mat on his back - Arlvoski land another devastating blow, a hammer fist, right to the face which KO’s Matyushenko.
Fight 6 Jeremy Jackson vs. Nick Diaz Diaz right away takes Jackson down but couldn’t keep him there. This happens a couple of times. Diaz does get a few rights in but Jackson also scores with some kicks from his back by kicking upwards to Diaz’s face. The round pretty much ends in the same way
Round 2 Diaz takes Strasser down again and lands a couple of rights to the face and to the mid-section as Jackson tries to move away. Diaz gets Jackson’s back and almost sinks in the rear naked choke but Jackson roles out of it and delivers his own punishment with punches to Diaz’s face that stun Diaz and has him holding on till the end of the round.
Round 3 Diaz lands a right and takes Jackson down - Jackson reverses and lands in Diaz’s full guard. Diaz right away lands an arm bar that Jackson can not pull away from so he has to tap.
Fight 7 - Light Heavyweight title Bout Champion Tito Ortiz vs. Interim Champion Randy Couture Damn, this one did not disappoint. The fight went the distance but it was an intense five rounds. Couture was all over Ortiz from bell to bell. Ortiz had no idea what to do. Couture took him down, pretty much at will, and used Ortiz’s favorite move, ground and pound. Ortiz struggled to get to his feet - and when he was able to get to his feet, he could do nothing to Couture. Couture was just a much better fighter this night. He out wrestled and out punched Ortiz. Couture was the underdog in many eyes but not in mine. I respect both of these fighters greatly but I was one of those routing for the underdog. Ortiz just seemed puzzled on how Couture was able to control him and keep him on the ground. I don’t believe Couture is stronger than Ortiz but he does posses better wrestling skills which showed as he controlled and maneuvered around Ortiz. Ortiz, even though he lost by unanimous decision, was a class act. You could see that he was disgusted with his performance and at times, it seemed like he was in tears as the announcer pronounced the winner and it wasn’t him. The reason I say Ortiz is a class act is because even though he lost, he put the belt on Couture. Now that’s classy.
In attendance, was one of the most recognized faces in the word, the big man himself, the Superman of Basketball, Shaquille O'Neal. He had just witnessed the 40 year old Superman of MMA take the title from the much younger Tito Ortiz. A great night for the UFC but also for all MMA fans.
AL
(9/27/03) |
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